Power of Wishes
by InkPhoenix
Summary: Wishes can change everything, especially the more powerful ones. A girl appears at Hogwarts with no memories and is taken in by a most unexpected person, who to everyone's surprise cares for her like she was his own daughter. Years later, the adopted daughter of Severus Snape meets the famous Harry Potter. And her past comes back to haunt her. ON HIATUS TILL FURTHER NOTICE
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**Disclaimer for Entire Story:** I don't own Harry Potter. That honor belongs to J.K. Rowling, and I tip my hat to her, thanking her for letting us play in her sandbox**.** This was slightly inspired by _lastcrazyhorn_, who wrote _Freaks Aren't Allowed_, and _Taint of Taia_, who wrote _Wishcraft_, so I also tip my hat to them, as a thank you for inspiring me.

**Warnings for Entire Story**: Child abuse, mentions of it

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_'Smash!'_

The glass was shattered in a instant, racing across the tiled kitchen floor. It looked like sharp, clear ice that should be outside along with the snow and sleet of the ongoing snow storm. But was instead resting in a pool of amber liquid that smell strongly of alcohol. Bright green eyes went wide in shock and fear, and the small hands of a child visibly shook.

"I'm sorry!" the young girl - who looked only five or so - forced out, immediately dropping to her knobby knee's and trying to pick up the glass pieces as fast as she could. Holly Potter winced as the sharp edges of the larger pieces nicked her pale skin, her fingers immediately starting to bleed, but she didn't let that stop her, creating a small pile in one shaking hand. "I didn't mean to!"

"You stupid girl!" roared a large man with a slur as he stomped to her, towering over her. Holly shook even more. "You clumsy brat!" His ruddy face was red with rage, and his beady eyes were glassy from drinking too much, and Holly knew what was coming before he even acted. He leaned down and grabbed the girl by her skinny arm, his meaty hand wrapping around it so tightly it looked as if he might break it in an instant. Holly cried out as he roughly pulled her up, the glass pieces in her hand falling to the floor again - sounding like the tinkling like gentle rain.

"I'm sorry, Uncle Vernon!" Holly cried, tears filling her eyes and rapidly rolling down cheeks. "I didn't mean to break the glass! I swear!"

"You'll be sorry, alright," her uncle growled, till tugging Holly up till she was standing on her own two bare feet, just on the tips of her toes. Then he raised his other hand and brought it smartly across her cheek. Her head snapped sharply to the side, short inky black hair flying, and more tears rolled down Holly's red cheek as she cried out. That didn't make him stop though.

"Shaddup!" Vernon shouted, and then suddenly, he pushed her away, as if touching her hand burned him. Holly stumbled, and she cried out again when she hit a nearby wooden chair, both falling to the floor with a clatter.

Vernon looked to his hand, the palm of his hand now a bright red, and his face turned purple in rage. "You little-" He marched to her, and gave the fallen girl a sharp kick to the stomach, causing Holly to yelp like a wounded dog. "You burned me, you freak!"

"I'm sorry!" Holly cried again, tears still flowing freely, and her still bleeding hands held out in front of her as some sort of protection as she tried to curl into a ball. "I'm sorry!"

Even though Holly continued to apologize, that didn't stop her uncle, who continued kicking her, her stomach, her back, her legs, his foot even managed to skim her head. He didn't seem to hear her cries - as if he were deaf to them. Still, she went on, repeating 'I'm sorry" till she finally stopped - so she could scream as her uncle stomped on her wrist, snapping the fragile bones in an instant. Holly clutched her wrist to her chest with her free hand, trembling in pain and fear and whimpering, biting her lip so sharply it bleed. She didn't dare scream again, but it hurt so much. Like it was on fire. Like there was a thousand needles in her wrist.

"Stop it!"

A boy raced into the kitchen, green eyes - the same colour as the girl - firm with determination. He stepped in his uncle's path, his arms held out as he acted like a human shield. "Don't hurt Holly anymore!" he said loudly. "She said she was sorry! She didn't mean it!"

"No..." Holly whispered painfully, still shaking. "Harry, don't..."

"Don't get in my way!" With a large hand, Vernon pushed the boy aside, who stumbled and fell against the nearby wall. His eyes went wide just before his head hit the wall with a loud crack. He cried out, but then his eyelids fell shut as he crumpled to the floor, suddenly quiet.

Holly screamed, then cried out as her uncle kicked her in the stomach again.

"Shaddup!" Vernon said as he stood over her, sway back and forth, his eyes unfocused. "That's what he gets for gettin' in my way!"

"Vernon!" A thin woman raced into the kitchen. "What are you doing?" She glanced around, her dim green eyes taking everything in. "Damn it, Vernon,_ they_ might be watching us!" she screeched.

"So what?" Vernon said drunkenly. "Let 'em! I'm sick of taking care of these freaks, Petunia!"

Petunia and Vernon went back and forth, but Holly didn't listen. Instead, she crawled over to her brother, biting back any cries of pain she had. "Harry?" she whispered. Finally reaching him, she let go her wrist, ignoring the pain as she placed her good hand on his shoulder, shaking it. His black hair moved as she shook him, falling across his forehead and hiding his lighting bolt scar. "Harry, please wake up." Holly pleaded, more tears rolling down her cheeks. "Please, wake up." Her body shook. "Please, don't leave me."

But Harry didn't answer her.

Sobbing now, Holly pressed her forehead against his thin shoulder, still shaking him. "Harry, please wake up. Harry..." She was suppose to protect her brother. And now he was hurt. He wouldn't wake up. "Please Harry, wake up, for me."

"Come here, you."

Holly cried in pain as Vernon grabbed her again, this time by the back of her jumper, yanking her up and forcing her to stand on her feet. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Petunia slip out of the kitchen, leaving Holly to her husband. "I'm not done with you yet," he snarled, and he threw her against the same wall Harry had hit only a minute ago. She crumpled again, but wasn't given any time to recover before her started to kick her again.

Crying with each kick and blow, Holly tried to focus on something, anything but the blinding pain. It overwhelmed her though, every nerve of her body was on fire and sending wave after of pain to her. It became so bad that she didn't even notice when Vernon finally stop, lifting up by her arm, dragging her to the cupboard under the stairs and throwing her in. Holly only noticed he'd stopped when she was surrounded in a familiar darkness.

Hot tears steadily rolling down her cheeks, Holly let herself lie there, her now dull eyes staring up at the wooden ceiling. _'I wish we were never left here,'_ she thought faintly. _'I wish that I was someplace __safe, with someone who would want take care of us.' _The pain rolled over her again, burning her, but Holly shook as if she was cold._ 'I wish that I could leave all this behind,' _she thought._ 'I wish it would all disappear.'_

It was almost instantaneous. Very suddenly, Holly felt much warmer then should have felt on the cold wood floor, as if there was a large fire burning inside her stomach, filling her veins with liquid fire but at the same time, numbing her pain. And then she felt as she were being forced through a tight tube, someone pulling her through by a hook behind her navel. Not knowing what was happening, Holly tried to scream, in pain and shock, but it didn't even leave her throat. Holly's vision seemed to swirl, and a wind came from no where, surrounding her while she was still being squeezed.

"No!" she tried to scream again, but nothing came out.

A small pop filled the cupboard before Holly disappeared, the only trace of her left was the blood from her bleeding hands on the floor. When her uncle came back less then a minute later, dragging an unconscious Harry, he blinked in confusion before swearing under his breath, muttering about how he had to much too drink before throwing Harry in the cupboard, locking the door, and stumbling up the stairs to bed.

It wasn't until the next morning that the Dursleys finally realized that Holly was gone, had disappeared in the middle of the night. Uncle Vernon, besides a pounding headache, had no recollection of what happened the night before, but quickly came to the conclusion that Holly had run off, which his wife and son agreed with. They didn't even bother looking for her.

Harry protested that she wouldn't leave - she wouldn't leave him behind - but his relatives didn't care what happened to his sister, or where she was. Or even if she was dead.

To them, it was one less freak to take care of.

~o0o~

When Holly appeared again, it was a few feet of the ground, and she hit the ground a second later. Falling onto her side, she cried out as another pain was added to what she already had, being surrounded by a biting cold. Quickly, she scrambled up, but her bleeding hands sunk into inches of snow and her wrist screaming in pure pain. She quickly lifted her hands out and tried to kneel so she could wipe off the melted snow, but that's when she finally realized that she was kneeling in it.

Lifting her head, Holly could barely see through the snow as the wind whipped it around, it was thick and icy cold. It wasn't even pure white snow, like in films, but dark gray and ugly. Where was she? How had did she... she wasn't even sure what a good word was to describe what just happen. Maybe she teleported, like in films she'd heard on the telly? Holly didn't ponder on it much, because the wind hit her again, threatening to knock her over it was so strong, and she shivered. She had to get out of the cold, or she knew - just instinctively knew - she'd freeze to death. She had to get back to Harry. Make sure he was alright.

Thankful, the fire inside Holly's stomach was still burning, and although it seemed to have gone down a bit, it was still keeping her moderately warm, heat radiating off her skin and slowly melting the snow underneath her. She stood, her bare feet warm but cold at the same time, and glanced around. She still couldn't see, but something inside her told Holly to move forward.

She had to keep moving if she wanted to stay alive.

So with another shiver as the wind howled at her again, Holly moved forward.

What seemed like hours - or maybe days - went by slowly. Holly had to forced herself to trudge through the snow, which meet her knobby knee's. She left a trail behind, but it started to disappear as the snow filled up her tracks. Her short inky black hair whipped around her face, her skin turning pale while while her cheeks and nose turned a dark pink, now starting to look feverish. Holly couldn't even wrap her arms around herself, her wrist twinging with pain every minute or so, so she let her free hand hold it. And adding to the pain was every place her uncle had kicked her, the pain and marks he left still very fresh. Even though the fire was still burning inside her, she was still cold, only wearing one of her cousin's large jumper's as a makeshift dress when she had... left.

Holly squinted against the harsh wind as she took another step forward. Maybe this was all just a dream. It wasn't impossible. She'd had weird dreams before. Like the motorcycle one. And suddenly disappearing from the cupboard under the stairs and appearing in the middle of no where was something like a dream. But the warmth that filled her...

She pushed that thought away. It could be just a dream that she was having after possibly blacking out from the pain, and maybe she had a fever that made her feel warm like this. Holly nodded to herself. Yes, that could be it, or at least it was the best explanation. But why would she dream of this?

A howl filled the air, and Holly jumped, visibly shocked. Was that a wolf? Dream or not, her cousin Dudley use to force her to watch horror movies, and the monster she feared the most was a werewolf. The nightmares she had about them... And wolves were close enough to frighten her. Her eyes wide, she forced to herself to move faster, but it felt like she was trudging through thick syrup, her breathing harsh and coming out in white clouds.

But she had to get away, get to safety.

That was when the black gates appeared suddenly, looming over her and reminding her of a prison.

Shaking still, Holly let her uninjured hand brush against the ice-covered iron, almost instantly touching the lock on it. It appeared to be locked tightly. She moved slowly and carefully, and found it connected with a brick wall that was definitely higher then her. And who knew how long it went. She was stuck, unable to go forward or backwards.

"Hello?" Holly called out wearily. "Anyone there?"

A long silence.

"Please, open the gates, please!" Holly called out again, trying to be louder then the roaring wind. With her free hand, she even tried to shake the bars, though she was so weak at the moment she barely moved them. "Please, let me in!" she screamed.

Nothing. Not even the howl of another wolf.

Blinking back her hot tears, Holly let her back hit the brick wall, ignoring the pain as she slid to the ground, the snow around her starting to melt, she could even feel the frozen grass scratch at her legs. She pulled up her knee's and rested her broken wrist in her lap. She was so tired, she was sure that she was awake. But it had to be a dream. The pain was ebbing away, and the fire inside her was getting dimmer, but at the same time, the cold was going with it, so that meant the dream was ending, right? Her green eyes fluttered, and she so wanted to close them and sleep - or wake up?

Awake or asleep. Which was it?

... Why was she worrying about that again? She couldn't remember. And when she tried, it just seemed to move farther out of her reach. And Holly was too tired to try any harder then that.

Holly knew she was truly sleeping when she felt a hand brush against her cold cheek, because no one had touched her like that before, not even in her dreams. "Hold on, little one," she heard a woman's voice say, soft and filled with concern. There was a flash of red, and for a moment, Holly thought of blood, and tried to move away from.

"Don't move, Holly, dear. He'll be here soon, and he'll take care of you."

"Who?" Holly said in a mummer. "Who's coming?" At first, she feared that her uncle was coming for her again, but that fear was quickly dismissed, her uncle wouldn't bother to come for her, not even if she was dead in the street... Her uncle? Who was that again?

"He's coming for you, Holly," said a male voice, but it was just as soft and concerned as the other voice, and she felt a gently weight on her head. She wished she could lean into the touch, but Holly didn't want to move, she feared it might go away if she did. "Just hold on a little longer..."

"But I can't..." she forced out. Closing her eyes, Holly felt the cold completely disappear. "I just wanna wake up..."

"Holly, don't..."

"Stay awake..." The voices faded away, overpowered by the roaring wind.

"Harry..." Snuggling against the brick wall, Holly felt strangely numb. "I can't..." She wanted to wake up and see her... who did she want to see...

What was happening to her? All her memories seemed so far away now. She couldn't even remember who she had just wanted to see. It was in the back of her mind, like a bad itch, on the tip of her tongue. After a moment, Holly almost shrugged. Maybe she would remember when she woke up from this horrible dream.

And then the world went black, just as she heard a bird sing mournfully.

~o0o~

Christmas break was not something Severus Snape enjoyed.

Eating his food quietly, the Potions Master took a moment to glance around the Great Hall. Not many students had stayed that year - and why would they? There was no longer a threat of Voldemort, he had been gone for years not, and they had families to visit. The Gryffindor table was practically empty, with fourth year Bill Weasley and his second year brother, Charlie - who couldn't go home because one of their brothers had caught a magical flu, and their mother didn't want them to get infected - and a sixth year, Robin McGonagall, Minerva's niece, who decided to stay with her aunt for the holidays.

The Ravenclaw table was also almost empty, with two students staying, third year Mary Whitfield, who reasons for staying were unknown to Severus, and seventh year, Johnathan Hunt. His nose was currently stuck in a book, preparing for his upcoming N.E.W.T.'s, which was the reason he'd stayed. Severus almost rolled his eyes at that reason, since the N.E.W.T.'s were still five months away.

Only one student stayed at the Hufflepuff table, sixth year Gwenog Jones. Severus almost curled his lip at her. She had been one of Slughorn's favorites when he was still here, a part of his "Slug Club", and simply because she was a good Quidditch player, a Beater he believe. He almost scoffed. He didn't understand how people could even watch the game, let alone play or, or want to make it a career. He, of course, only got on a broom when it was necessary. And that, thankfully, didn't happen often.

And finally, there was the Slytherin table, which had the most students staying - a total of five. Emmaline Black, a first year who's parents were off on vacation in Sweden, and, thankful, not a relation of Sirius Black since she was Muggleborn. The Taylor siblings, fourth year Sara and fifth year Samuel, who simply did not want to go home. Alice Hammond, a fifth year Prefect who parents were separating and preferred not to get in the way. And sixth year Alexander Fleming, who's father, though a Pureblood with a important family name and lots of money, was a drunk, and Alexander tried to spend as little time with him as possible since his mother died two years ago.

Closing his coal eyes briefly, Severus took a sip from his goblet, letting the cool taste of pumpkin juice coat his throat for a moment. Even during the holidays, he was still expected to take care of students. Yes, it seemed that everyone else got a break except him. At least his Slytherins were well behaved enough, he didn't have to worry them like McGonagall would about her Gryffindors.

"Severus, are you well?"

Taking a moment to relax, Severus turned to the twinkling blue eyes. "I'm fine, Professor Dumbledore. Simply wishing for a student-free holiday, that's all."

Smiling, Dumbledore nodded. "I understand, my boy." Severus resisted the urge to shoot him a dark look, he hated when he was called that, which Albus knew and ignored. "But I remember a particular student that hated going home," he said knowingly. "I'm sure a few students feel the same way, and are glad to stay here for the holidays."

"And I understand that," Severus shot back. "But, while the last Slytherin Head enjoyed children to a degree - I do not, as you very well know."

Dumbledore just chuckled, and looked as if he were to respond, but Severus never learned the answer. For the moment the Headmaster opened his mouth, a sad song filled the Great Hall, almost immediately ceasing all talk as everyone glanced around, looking for the source. Strangely, Dumbledore didn't, only pausing as he listened to the song, even tilting his head to the side and closing his eyes.

"Headmaster, isn't that-" started McGonagall.

Suddenly, there was a red and orange flash above them, and a feather the same colour appeared, hovering over their heads for a long moment before gently floating its way down to the table, landing right in front of Dumbledore, who finally opened his eyes and took notice of it a few moments later. Reaching out, he gently picked up, holding it up carefully. And after a few seconds, his eyes suddenly grew cold - reminding Severus of the frost that covered the large windows- before he stood, and, without a word, march away from the table, heading for the main entrance to the Great Hall.

There was a moment of silence among the Professors before three of them stood to follow him - McGonagall, Flitwick, and Snape. McGonagall quickly asked Pomona to watch the remain students before the three rushed after him. Severus took only a brief moment to ask McGonagall a question.

"That was Fawkes, wasn't it?" He'd recognize a phoenix song and feather after visiting Dumbledore's office so many different times. But this song was different from any other song's he heard. It almost sounded ... painful.

Nodding, McGonagall quickened her steps, so she could catch up with the Headmaster. "Yes. But Fawkes has rarely sang his song like that. Something's wrong."

He could feel her fear radiating off her, and he nodded absentmindedly. Minerva feared an attack on the school while they had been so relaxed, thinking that nothing could happen now that the Dark Lord was gone. But at the same time, he had to wonder. Who would attack the school during the holiday's, when there were so few students here? What was the gain?

By the time they had gone past the Great Hall doors, they could see Dumbledore turn a corner, heading for the front doors. The three professors glanced at one another before quickening their steps, Flitwick practically running, and whipping their wands out, wanting to be prepared for any possibility.

_'For an old man, Dumbledore can move rather fast.'_ thought Severus before moving even faster.

They could feel the chilling wind before they had even reached the front doors. Dumbledore had left them partly open, letting snow and wind enter the castle, before going on. Filch was near by, mumbling about how he would have to clean this up, with Mrs. Norris near his feet, her eyes narrowed and her fur puffed up, hissing at the invading snow.

"What is Albus doing?" McGonagall asked aloud, though it sounded as if she were asking herself more then anyone else. "And who would be attacking Hogwarts in this terrible weather?"

That was certainly a good question. While the ceiling in the Great Hall had showed snow gently falling from the sky, the real sky was dark, a snow storm surrounding the castle, whistling and attacking any windows. It certainly wasn't leaving anytime soon.

"We'll find out, won't we?" said Severus shortly before going through the door and into the storm.

The snow surrounded him like a curtain, and the snow was deep enough that it went past his ankles. But thankfully, Dumbledore had used magic to create a path, melting the snow in front of him with heat, so Severus simply had to follow the path, occasionally using his own wand to re-carve the path or cast a Warming Charm on himself, which was often. He could hear the other two professors follow him after a few moments, but Severus didn't look back. He wanted to be ready for any danger.

It didn't take long to catch up with the elderly wizard, just as he was reaching the entrance to the gates that surrounded Hogwarts. "Albus," Severus tried to call over the wind. "What is going on?"

Even though he didn't answer, Dumbledore glanced to him, his eyes having lost their twinkle and he looked his true age. He lifted his own wand and preform a silent spell over the gates, letting them swing towards him as they opened, groaning with the effort of pushing through the snow. Not even waiting for the gates to open fully, Dumbledore went through, but strangely enough, paused only a few feet outside the gate, looking off to the side briefly before moving again, disappearing.

_'This old man in going to be the death of me.' _Warming himself once again, he followed Dumbledore steps, moving past the gates and to the side. And froze in shock. _'What...'_

Laying near the gates was a small body, curled next to the wall in some futile attempt to hid from the winter storm, skin pale as the snow that covered the child. Next to it was Fawkes, the phoenix, who was pressed against the child side, trying to protect the child from the wind and cooing sadly. Kneeling next to the child, Albus was quickly wiping the snow with his old hands. He didn't glance up at Severus, but spoke instead. "Severus, clear her off while I transfigure something into a blanket." He said this in his normal tone, but somehow sounded like a roar in the wind.

Nodding, Severus knelt as Dumbledore stood. He brought his hands out of his cloak - where he had briefly been protecting them from the harsh wind - and started to brush off the snow that had piled on her. As he did that, Fawkes made a noise that sounded like a pleased hum before hopping out of the way, backing away a few feet before spreading open its wings and taking flight, probably heading back to the castle.

Ignoring the mystical bird, Severus reached towards the girl again. He had expected the girl's skin - once cleared off - to be ice, but as his fingertips brushed the pale skin, he was startled to find out that her skin was still a bit warm. No, it wasn't her skin. It was residues of something... Severus eyes widen a little. Magic. Magic had covered her, like armor, and had protected her from the worse of the cold. It hadn't been strong magic, but it seemed to do enough, the snow around her not as deep as anywhere else indicating that she had melted the snow - possibly without even realizing she'd done it. But that magic was starting to disappear, and the girl was shivering violently, ice forming in her hair and eyelashes.

"Hold on," he muttered, brushing the larger piles of snow off her. "We'll get you warm soon." He looked her over carefully. With skin as white as snow, short hair as black as fresh ink, and delicate features, she almost looked like the child of an elf. The only reason he knew she wasn't was because she missed the shimmer that most elves had - even when unconscious.

The girl - who he thought was unconscious - whimpered when his fingers brushed the snow off her lap. Frowning, Severus looked to her lap, where her hands were laying. The arm laying on top was pale as the rest of her body, but her wrist was a multitude of colours - red, purple, black and blue. Severus hissed. her right wrist was broken, probably in multiple places. And now he could see other red and purple bruises forming over her legs, layering over old green and yellow ones, and he was sure their was even more hidden underneath her large jumper.

Was that why she had run into a snow storm, to get away from her attacker? But the closest residents was at Hogsmeade. And it almost seemed impossible that she could come at this way injured, and without being killed by the dangers of the forest nearby.

"Severus."

Looking up, Severus nodded as Dumbledore handed him a large blanket, he could feel the warmth running through it as he carefully wrapped it around her. The girl shivered again, but then sighed at the heat, trying to bury herself in it. As he carefully gathered her up, he was shocked by how light she felt, almost like a feather, and when he held her against his chest, he could feel almost every bone through the thick blanket. He didn't even need to use a Feather Weight Charm on her.

To his horror, she nuzzled up against him, probably seeking his warmth, and whimpered again before burying her face in his chest, hiding from the storm around them. Severus almost froze - it'd been a very long time since anyone was this close, even a child, and it made him uncomfortable. Still, he lifted his hand up - she was still so light he could hold her with one hand - and covered her face with the corners of the blanket, to protect it from the wind. It made his own cheeks burn a dark, red.

At least that's what he told himself.

"By the Goddess!"

McGonagall finally caught up with the two, and her shock was obvious. Flitwick gave something like a squeak, but it wasn't even heard. "What - what happened to her, Albus?" the Head of Gryffindor asked, looking between the Headmaster and Severus and the frozen girl. "Is she -"

"She's alive," Dumbledore answered. "But barely. We need to get her inside. Minerva, would you please head back and warn Poppy that we are in need of her services?"

Minerva nodded. "Of course." She turned on her heel and marched back to the castle, quickly disappearing within in the snow.

"Filius, will you please make sure that the children get back to their Houses?"

"Yes, Albus." With that, Flitwick turned back to Hogwarts, moving quicker then Severus had ever seen him move.

"Let's getting moving, Severus. We shouldn't keep her out here any longer."


	2. Nothing

**Nothing**

.

Less then fifteen minutes later, Severus came bustling into the hospital wing, almost running into Pomfrey as she came rushing up the stairs. "Is that her?" she asked quickly, and when they nodded, she ordered Severus without pause. "Place her on one of the beds. Make sure she stays wrapped up, and keep an eye on her until I can get to her." She hurried off to a side room, muttering under her breath as she went through a list of things she might need.

Moving quickly, Severus laid the girl down on the nearest bed, being careful of her more obvious injures. Still, she whimpered softly, trying to turn on her side and curl into a ball once more, even though it seemed to pain her to do it.

"Its alright, little one," Dumbledore said in his most calming voice. Sometimes, Severus would swear it was like he was breathing a Calming Draught. No, better yet, like it was breathing a Tranquility Draught, the stronger version of the potion for those who need more then just calming. "You're safe now."

Surprisingly, the girl still whimpered, trying again to curl up. "No..." she groaned lowly.

"Calm down," Severus said firmly. "We won't hurt you."

Again, the girl surprised him by stopping suddenly, freezing like someone who had been turned into a statue. But the surprise soon left him as she opened her small mouth and screamed in pain. Severus stopped himself from slapping his hands over his sensitive ears, it was like there was a banshee inside her that had been set loose.

"What did you do, Severus?" Pomfrey snapped as she came rushing over, already waving her wand for diagnostic spells even as the girl switched to screaming to sobbing.

"Nothing," he snapped back. "She just started screaming all of the sudden."

Leaning over the girl, Pomfrey let the diagnostic spells work while she tried to calm the child. "Its alright, dear. I'm a nurse, I'm here to help you. Shh."

"Please, no..." Her head was shaking back and forth, tears pouring down her cheeks. "Please, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I didn't - "

"You'll be alright," Pomfrey promised as bright letters and numbers appeared over the girl. She glanced over them, her frown deepening. "She has moderate hypothermia - her core temperate is 25°C. We need to get her warmer." She waved her wand, and the blanket changed, red and thicker with heavier material, and with another wave, it wrapped itself around her more securely. And the girl screamed again.

"What in the -" glancing over the writing that was now appearing above the girl, Pomfrey's eyes widen before whirling around to face Severus. "Why didn't you tell me she had a broken wrist and cracked ribs? I could have made them worse -"

"I've barely had the time," Severus snarled. "And I didn't know about the ribs."

Shaking her head, Pomfrey turned around waved her wand again, and the blanket wrapped around her loosened before moving and wrapping around her lower body. The girl shivered as Pomfrey quickly looked her over, casting a Warming Charm on her. "I'll need to deal with her injures before I wrap her up again." She turned on her heel, Severus and Dumbledore barely dodged the wand that came very close to their faces. She flicked her wrist several times, muttering Accio spells under her breath. This time, Severus and Dumbledore stepped aside as everything the nurse summoned came flying towards them, barely landing on the nearby table.

"You aren't going to heal her breaks?" Dumbledore asked, glancing over the various potions.

"Not completely, and not at the moment. I need to focus on keeping her warm. Cracked ribs, I'll fix those, I can't risk them breaking and puncturing her lungs. Broken wrist, I'll have to just try and keep it secure for now. Examining and fixing it will require time. The bruises are large and painful, but none of them are life threatening. I'll give her a potion to make sure her organs aren't injured." She flicked her wand again. "_Accio_ Organ Repair Potion. Its basic, but it will work for now," she said as the potion flew to her, landing with everything else.

As Pomfrey spelled the bandages to wrap around her wrist, not wanting to move the child any more then she had to, Dumbledore gently touched his shoulder. "Why don't we wait in my office?" He looked to Pomfrey. "You'll Floo call us when you're done?"

Pausing for a brief moment even as the bandages still moved, Pomfrey nodded. "Of course, Albus," she said before getting back to work.

"Coming, Severus?"

Nodding, he followed the Headmaster out the hospital wing. Several minutes went by before Severus spoke. "How did you know she was out there?"

"Fawkes," Dumbledore answered with a smile, although it looked a bit grim. "He keeps watch over the castle, something he's always done. It seems he sense the young girl coming, and once he had confirmed it, he sent me a message, the feather I received at the table. It gave me a vision of the girl outside the gates."

"Ah." It made since, even while at the same time, it didn't.

Silence went on for a few more minutes before they reached the entrance to the Headmaster's office, the gargoyle statue still as it waited for the password.

"Pumpkin juice."

With a polite nod - something one would never expect to see from a stone statue - the gargoyle jumped aside, the entrance to the staircase revealed. Still, the men were silent as they went up to the office, and stayed that way as they sat down, Dumbledore in the seat behind his desk and Severus sitting across from him. The portraits stared at them, whispering among themselves, while Severus tried not to glare at the previous headmasters and headmistress. He noticed that Fawkes was back on his perch, watching the two with his sharp eyes. Sometimes, Severus swore there was something disturbing about that bird, no matter how magical it was.

Searching through his drawers, the headmaster pulled out a tin and popped one of the yellow candies in his mouth. "Sherbet lemon?" he offered politely, holding out the tin.

Severus refrained from wrinkling his nose at the Muggle treat. He hadn't liked them as a kid, and he didn't like them now, no matter how many times Dumbledore offered. "No, thank you," he said firmly. "Instead, I rather talk about our new guest."

"Yes, the young girl. Give me just a moment." Putting the tin away, Dumbledore clasped his hands together and placed them on the desk. "Tibby?" he called out.

A 'pop', and a female house-elf dressed the official Hogwarts towel appeared, bowing to both the men. "Master Headmaster Dumbledore, Master Professor Snape. What can Tibby do for yous?"

"Tea and some chocolate chip biscuits would be lovely. And could you see to it that the rest of the professors join us, please? And Hagrid as well."

Another bow. "Yes, Master Headmaster Dumbledore," squeaked Tibby before disappearing, only to appear a few moments later balancing a tray. She placed it on the desk bowing once more before leaving with a 'pop' once more.

Pouring himself a cup of tea - it smelled like earl grey tea - Dumbledore spoke. "She can't be more then five, don't you think? Six, maybe."

"More or less," Severus agreed. He shook his head. "I don't like this. A girl of five wandering around in a snow storm? With not even shoes on? And even a brief glance showed me a broken wrist and multiple bruises on her legs, old and new. Pomfrey mentioned crack ribs, so I'm sure there are some bruises on her chest." His eyes darkened to pitch black. "All the physical signs showed abuse."

"Now, lets not jump to conclusions -" started Dumbledore.

"Jump? Its hardly a leap, Headmaster," Severus snapped. "You must have seen the bruises like I did, and you heard what Poppy said." One of Dumbledore's flaw's was not seeing such things like abuse unless it was shoved in his face, since he believed the best in everyone.

On the other hand, Severus knew from his experience as the Head of Slytherin that abused children were not uncommon. In fact, they were sorted into his House more then any other, mostly because they had more cunning and ambition then normal wizarding children, even if was just trying to avoid their abusers.

For a moment, Severus could have sworn that the usual twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes had disappeared again, but when he blinked, it was still there. "Lets hope that's not the case," he finally said.

"Mm." Severus absentmindedly rubbed his left forearm. "But those facts still doesn't tell us where she's from, or even what her name is," he went on instead.

"Its most likely that she came from Hogsmeade. I'll consult some of the store owners and ask if they know if any children are missing from the village." Dumbledore waved his wand, a cup of tea floated to Severus, who knew better then to turn it away, so he took it in hand, enjoying the warmth it gave his hands.

"Even if she is missing, I see no reason to send her back so quickly," Severus said coldly. He could remember his father, the beatings he endured, and wishing he could run away, but he didn't dare leave his mother alone. "She almost died trying to get away from the one who attacked her. It wouldn't be right to send her back to them."

"Of course, once we find her parents, we'll conduct an investigation," said Dumbledore calmly, picking up a chocolate biscuit. "I see if a few Aurors will come in, get a statement and so on from her. It might even help us find her family."

"And what do you think will happen to her?" Severus asked.

"Sent to live with relatives, I suspect," he answered, taking a bite of the pastry.

Making a noise of agreement, Severus took a sip of his tea. He was right, earl grey. "And if there are none?"

Shaking his head, Dumbledore placed his biscuit down. "I don't know," he admitted. "Most orphaned children in our wold are sent to live with relatives, and that never seems to be a problem, since everyone is related in one way or another. So we've had no need for a wizarding orphanage. But I don't think that will be a problem if she came from Hogsmeade. Everyone there is either Pureblood or Halfblood."

Nodding, Severus was about to take another sip of his tea when the door opened, and the rest of the professors that stayed for the holidays came pouring in - McGonagall, Flitwick, Sprout, Trelawney, and Hagrid.

"What's going on, Professor?" said Pomona, her eyes wide. "Minerva says you found a girl outside?"

So Dumbledore repeated the story, and even the discussion that he and Severus had only a few minutes before. As predicted, all the other teachers were shocked.

"That poor girl," squeaked Flitwick. "And you say she'll be alright?"

"It seems so. But we will have to wait for Madam Pomfrey to report to us," said Dumbledore, calm as always.

"She must be a sign from the Beyond," Trelawney whispered to herself, tightening her shawl around her. "Something's about to happen..."

McGonagall held back a snort and rolled her eyes, while Severus sneered at Trelawney. They both hated Divination, though both for different reasons, and both wished that it wasn't taught at Hogwarts.

"How did she get all the way out here?" McGonagall asked Dumbledore. "Even if she was from Hogsmeade, that such a long way to travel - and in this kind of weather."

"Magic," Severus answered shortly. "When I first touched her, I felt residues of magic on her skin. It seemed to enveloped around her like armor, keeping her warm and melting some of the snow around her."

"But you said she was only five - such magical control for someone so young is almost impossible." said Flitwick.

Shrugging, the Potions Master took a sip of his tea, which was growing cold. "It was most likely accidentally, out of her control."

"Aye, but using magic to stay warm? It takes more then wee bit of control to do that," McGonagall said, deep enough in thought that she didn't realize her Scottish accent slip.

"Poor little thing," sniffled Hagrid, pulling out a - very large - handkerchief out of his coat pocket and wiping tears away. "Can't imagine what's she's goin' through."

Severus rolled his eyes, but before he could bite something out, the nearby fire flashed from green, and Madam Pomfrey's head appeared in the green fire. "Headmaster, I've finished taking care of the young girl, and she should wake up soon," the nurse reported.

"Ah, thank you, Poppy, Albus said as he stood. "We'll be down shortly."

With a brisk nod, Pomfrey's head disappeared.

"Now, who would like come meet our new guest?"

Everyone agreed except for Trelawney, who mumbled something about a reading before excusing herself and heading back to her tower. So as a group, the professors made their way down to the hospital wing.

"How is she, Poppy?" asked Dumbledore when they entered the room. Severus could just see the girl hidden behind a curtain. She seemed to still be asleep, her breathing deep and even.

Shaking her head, Pomfrey sighed heavily as she sat down, clearly tired. "This girl is very lucky, Albus. She had moderate hypothermia, and it could have been much worse except it seemed her magic kept her warm for as long as it could. But because of that, she almost completely drained her magical core. If she had been left out there much longer, she probably would have died, from either cold or magical loss."

"There were other injuries as well. A broken wrist that was shattered so badly, I had to remove her bones so they didn't injure any muscles or nerves, and once she's feeling better, I'll re-grow them. Cracked ribs, those were healed easily enough, though she'll have to rest for the next week or so to make sure nothing re-breaks. Deep bruises up and down her body, the result of it being that some of her internal organs were close to rupturing. Cuts on her hands, but they were shallow and healed quickly. And then there was her weight." Pomfrey shook her head again. "The average height and weight of someone her age is forty inches and forty pounds. She's thirty-five inches and thirty pounds even. She's too small." Her eyes turned cloudy. "She's been starved."

The reactions varied, from Dumbledore's cold silence to Flitwick's surprising cursing. Severus merely closed his eyes, forcing himself to breathe. His suspicions were only confirmed, then. More memories of his father tried to flood his mind, but he forced them aside with ease, opening his eyes and keeping them blank with indifference. Now was not the time for that.

"Will she wake up soon?" asked Dumbledore after a long moment.

"She could wake in a matter of seconds or day's. Sleeping is one of the ways we regain magic," Pomfrey said as she stood. "I'd rather give her a potion to help the process, but I don't want her to have too many when she still so young." She looked to her headmaster. "Have you any idea about her identity?"

"I plan on visiting Hogsmeade once the storm is over, talk to some of the store owners." He stroked his long beard. "They should be able to tell us who is missing a child in the village. I'll also call in an Auror, preferably Kingsley. He should be able to help us."

The professor started to talk about what they should, but before Severus could join the conversation, Pomfrey placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping him. "Why don't you go sit to her?" she suggested softly. "I'm sure she would like to see someone when she wakes up."

Severus raised an eyebrow, and scowled as he tried to say something, but Pomfrey was already nudged him to the curtain. He thought of arguing, but then remembered that it would be pointless, since the matron was one of a few people that could force him to do anything. So he pushed past the curtain, not seeing the small smile of the nurse's face.

The girl was still sleeping, her mouth slighted parted as she breathed softly. She was covered to the chin in blankets, which together were probably thicker then her. All he could see was her face, still pale, but it certainly wasn't as pale as earlier. Her black hair was shorter then he realized, surrounding her head like a dark halo, but it looked as if someone had taken a pair of scissors and just cut it very unevenly. She still looked elfin though.

Sighing, Severus took a seat in ta nearby chair. How long was he expected to wait for her to wake up? And what was he suppose to do, exactly? Just stare at her?

He looked her over again. Despite what the students of Hogwarts thought, or what he told Dumbledore, he didn't despise children. He just hated children that didn't even try in Potions. Or children that were loud and annoying, that didn't listen or follow directions they were told, or acted useless... So he hated most children. Which was it was strange to everyone else why he had taken a job as a teacher when he hated children.

Unknowing to himself, Severus curled his lip. He had taken the job was because who else would hire a former Death Eater - even if he had turned spy, even if he was a Potions Master. Because Dumbledore had practically forced it onto him. Because of a mistake he had made as a teen. He absentmindedly rubbed his left arm, the arm where the Dark Mark use to be. He made a lot of mistakes when he was younger. And he had tried to fix them. But he never could. Not for hurting and killing so many Muggles, by curses or potions, even though he tried to save many of them. Not for calling Lily a Mudblood and ruining their friendship. Not for reporting the prophecy to the Dark Lord, which caused her death. He could never make those things up. Of course, he had tried, he had turned into a spy for Dumbledore, had tried to save Lily. But no matter how much he tried, it never evened out.

The girl moaned, Severus glanced at her, wondering if she had woken up. But she simply shifted in her sleep. Sighing, he watched her for a long a moment, almost studying her. He often wondered what would happen if he had ever found the right woman, had married her, had children. Sometimes, if he thought really hard - or was really drunk - he could imagine black haired children running around, some with hooked noses like him, some with his black eyes. But there was never the right woman, and he was sure that he would mess up his children the way his father had messed him up. He didn't want to add another mistake to his list.

_"I think you would be a great father, Sev." Plopping onto the green grass, fourteen-year-old Lily Evans leaned against the tree and tilted her head back to look up to the cloudy sky, her fiery red hair tugged by the wind. "Really, I do."_

_Rolling his black eyes, Severus took his seat next to her, pushing back his only black hair behind his ears merely out of habit, since it fell back around his face. Somehow, Lily had breached the subject of parenthood, and he knew if he didn't indulge her now, she wouldn't stop. "And why would you think that? I hate children."_

_Lily smiled, like she knew something that he didn't. "But it would be your child. You couldn't hate your own child."_

_"My father certainly has no problem hating me," Severus scowled._

_She didn't stop smiling as she placed a hand over his, and Severus was glad he had gotten over his crush on her, otherwise he would be blushing a fiery red that would surpass her own hair. "But you're not your father. And besides," her smile grew larger, and her green eyes brightened, "your hands were made for creating, molding, for shaping."_

_"Potions, maybe," the teen said with a roll of his eyes. "Or curses."_

_"They can do more that, and you know it. Beside, you won't make the same mistakes your father did."_

_"And how do you know that?" Severus sneered._

_This time, he could see the smile in her eyes. "Because I know you."_

That had been before the incident, when he had called Lily a Mudblood, before she started to hate him and hang out with Potter. After that, she never talked to him - until that one night. Only a few months after she had given birth to her son, Harry Potter, James son, and just before she went into hiding. Almost a year before she died by the Dark Lord's hand, though he had begged him to spare her, to let her live.

_"Severus."_

_Turning towards the voice, Severus felt his heart tightening as a figure stepped into the forest clearing, pulling back her hood and revealing her fiery red hair. "I... Thank you for coming, Severus."_

_"I don't know why I did. We haven't spoke to each other in years." And that was why he came. To see Lily again._

_Lily gave him a searching look that Severus remembered from their Hogwarts years. "Severus, Dumbledore told me about the prophecy. The one you delivered to Voldemort."_

_Severus winced, not at his Dark Lord's name, but about the prophecy. "I'm sorry," he finally said. "If I had known... If I had known, I would have never told him." His right hand gripped at his left arm._

_"And I know that." Lily took a step forward. "Severus, Voldemort is going to kill my son. James and I are going into hiding, but..." Her hands twisted together, and she looked to the ground. "I've been having this bad feeling lately. No matter what James says, I don't think we're going to survive this."_

_"Don't say that!" Severus stepped up to her and placed his hands on her shoulder. "Lily, don't say that. Dumbledore's going to protect you!"_

_"He's going to try." Lily hands fluttered around her no-longer pregnant stomach. "But I don't think he can."_

_"Then I'm going to protect you, Lily." Severus tightened his grip on her shoulders, and he pulled her into a hug, something he hadn't done in years. "I won't let anything happen to you. I promise."_

_Silence filled the clearing, and Severus felt Lily start to shake. "Don't make a promise you can't keep, Sev," she muttered into his shoulder. "You're strong, but you can't beat Voldemort." She pulled back slightly and looked up to him. "I want you to promise me something else."_

_"Anything. Just ask."_

But before the rest of that particular memory could even be drawn from the deeps of his mind, he pulled was out of his thoughts when the girl groaned, her face twisted in pain. Her eyes fluttered, and then they snapped open, staring directing into his coal black eyes. And Severus shot up so fast his chair clattered to the floor, his eyes wide as he step back, banging his leg against the same chair. "No..." She had come back to haunt him!

_'Lily...'_

_"I trust you, Severus." Her green eyes bore into his, not wavering, and the grip on his hands only tightened. "I trust you to take care of Harry -"_

"Severus, what's going on?" Pomfrey ripped the curtain open, and her own eyes went wide. "Oh dear..."

Bright green eyes - eyes like Lily's - blinked in confusion and glanced around wildly. Severus tried to take another step back, shocked - no, horrified - but Dumbledore and the rest of the professors appeared behind him, blocking his escape. "Oh my," muttered Dumbledore.

"Where am I?" the girl asked, a tremble in her voice. "Who are you people?" She looked as if she wanted to back into a corner and curl up in another ball, to try and hide herself from them.

"You're at Hogwarts, dear." said Pomfrey, stepping forward. The girl winced, but didn't try and run, and apparently Pomfrey took that as a good sign, because she went on in a softer voice. "My name is Madam Pomfrey, the nurse here, and I've been taking care of you. You were quite injured, so please don't try and move around too much."

"What do you mean?" The girl shook fiercely now, as she was back out in the cold. "What happened to me? And what's a Hogwarts?"

Out of the corner of his eyes, Severus saw Pomfrey and Dumbledore exchange glances. "Its a school, dear," Pomfrey explained. "For young witches and wizards to learn about their magic, and how to control it."

The girl shook her head. "Magic isn't real," she said firmly, but sounded as if she had being forced to repeated it before, so many times that it become automatic. "There's no such thing as magic. My -" she paused, confused. "Who told me that?" she asked herself.

"Oh dear," repeated Pomfrey.

"What's your name, young lady?" asked Dumbledore.

She opened her mouth again, but it took her a long moment to close it, frowning. "My name is..." She shook her head. "My name is... I-I-" Her hands went up in an attempt to clutch her head, and she gasped as she saw her right wrist wrapped in bandages. She tried to move her fingers, but cried out when they didn't even twitch. "I can't feel my hand! What's wrong with me?"

"Dear, what's your name?" the headmaster repeated calmly. "We need to know it so we can find your family."

Severus was about to turn and run when the girl turned to him, staring at him with wide, fear filled green eyes that again painful reminded Severus of Lily and causing him to stop in his place. "I don't know!" the girl cried, shaking hard as she tried to curl up again, as if trying to defend herself. "I can't remember it! I can't remember anything! Please, don't hurt me, I'm sorry!"


	3. Nameless

**Nameless**

.

"I can't remember it! I can't remember anything! Please, don't hurt me, I'm sorry!"

Finally looking away from Severus - and breaking the trance she had him in - the girl lifted her hands up and buried her face in them, sobbing quite loudly. Instantly, Severus tried to back away, but before he could even take a step, Dumbledore placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it slightly as he silently asked him to stay. He almost snapped at him to let him go, but glared instead. But the Headmaster simply tightened his grip. He wasn't giving him a choice.

"Out!" Whipping out her wand, Pomfrey shooed all the professors and Hagrid away. "I want everyone except the Headmaster and McGonagall out this instant!"

Everyone complied instantly, giving the sobbing girl an occasional glance as they left the room. Pomfrey turned on Severus, but before she could say anything, Dumbledore spoke up. "I think it would be best it Severus stayed with us, don't you, Poppy?"

Severus sincerely hoped that Pomfrey would disagree, argue with the Headmaster and force him to leave, even if it was at wand point. But to his disbelief, Pomfrey paused for a mere moment, and then nodded. "I suppose you're right, Albus. Just please leave for a few minutes while I try and calm her down a bit."

"Of course." With his hand still on Severus, Dumbledore lead him out of the curtains. Strangely, it was only once Pomfrey closed the curtains behind them, so that she could hide the still sobbing girl from them, was Severus able to breath normally again.

He almost snarled at himself at that thought. How was this one little girl getting to him? _'Snap out of it, Severus. They're not Lily's eyes. Lily is dead."_

"Do you really think that's she's really lost all her memories, Albus?" McGonagall asked, a small frown on her face.

"Do you think she's lying, Minerva?" asked Dumbledore calmly.

It wasn't a surprise that McGonagall went a little red in the face. "Of course not! I'm just saying that its a little strange that she lost them. I mean, what could have caused that?"

"Quite a number of things, actually," Dumbledore stated. "Injuries to the head. Traumatic experience's that cause the mind to hide any memories that involve it."

"But she's a child, Albus. What kind of traumatic injures could she had endured?" McGonagall said as she shook her head as different thoughts ran through her head, as if not wanting to think about it. Even though she was old and experience, not many of her Gryffindor's were abuse, mentally or physically. Not like his Slytherins were. She wasn't use to the idea that adults could hurt children in such a way, or at least, it was hard for her to believe.

"Oh, Minerva, you know just as much as I do what sort of things children can go through at the hands of their parents."

All the professors went silent at that.

"What are we going to do, Headmaster?" asked Severus after a long pause of silence. "If her memory truly is gone, then she will not be able to tell us where she came from or what happened to her."

"As you said, Severus, if her memory is truly gone," said Dumbledore. "I'm sure with some gentle prodding, we can see if it is not simply hidden."

Raising an eyebrow briefly, Severus nodded. Yes, gentle Legimency would be the best option at the moment, to see if there was any 'walls' blocking her memories, and if there were, they would have to be dealt with properly. And both he and Dumbledore were experts at the art of entering the mind.

The curtain opened part way, and Pomfrey poked her head out. "She's calm now."

"Will she be able to answer any of our questions?" asked Dumbledore.

"Yes. But be careful what you say to her," instructed Pomfrey. "She's still very frightened."

"Of course."

Again, Severus made a move to leave, but Dumbledore placed a hand on his shoulder and gently guided him back through the open curtains. He couldn't help but scowl at the older man. Damn it all, why wouldn't Dumbledore let him leave?

The girl glanced up at them briefly when the three professors entered - her bright green eyes watching them warily - before looking to her hands, which were resting in her lap. She was sitting up now, leaning against the head of the bed with a pillow behind her back. She still looked too pale, and in the short-sleeve hospital gown, Severus could see her bruises, which had just begun to fade. She looked better, but still looked bad.

_'What kind of person would do something like this to a child?'_

"Are you alright now, child?" asked Dumbledore with a smile and a twinkle of his eyes as he sat in the abandoned chair.

"Yes, sir," the girl said, not looking up.

"I'm sorry we gave you such a fright, my dear. It certainly wasn't our intention," Dumbledore said calmly, and Severus could see the girl relax just a little bit.

"S'alright," she muttered.

"I was wondering if we could ask you a few things," Dumbledore went on.

The girl finally looked up, confusion in her bright green eyes. Severus resisted the urge to step back. "But I can't 'member anything."

"And we understand that," Dumbledore answered. "But with your permission, we'd like to ask about trying something else."

Suspicion returned, and the girl shifted slightly. To anyone else, it was just her getting comfortable. To Severus, it was her getting ready to run if she needed to. "What's that?" she asked warily.

"Its called Legilimency," explained Dumbledore. "Its the act of entering the mind with magic and then navigating through the many mental barriers and layers inside it to find information or, in your case, memories that are hidden."

"But magic isn't real!" the girl insisted again.

"And what fool told you that?" sneered Severus before he could stop himself.

"Severus!" said McGonagall, shocked, and the silent Pomfrey glared at him.

The girl didn't seem to react to his tone at his voice. She instead look directly at Severus, her green eyes - _her eyes_ - meeting his. It was only because of his many years of spying that helped Severus keep his sneering mask in place. _'Damn it all, how does this _child_ affect me more then the bloody Dark Lord! And why does she keep looking to me, of all people?'_

"I - I don't know," the girl finally admitted.

"Well, my dear, let me show you that magic is indeed real." Reaching into the sleeve of his brightly colored robes, Dumbledore pulled out his wand. "I'm sure you know what this is."

Staring at it, the girl wrinkled her forehead in confusion. "A - a stick?" she said hesitantly.

Dumbledore chuckled. "It's actually a wand. We wizards and witches channel our magic through it so we can do things like this." He gave a simple wave, and a pillow from the next bed over floated to him. The girl watched with wide eyes as it landed in his lap before Dumbledore gave another wave, and it was turned into a stuffed toy - a black dragon with bright purple eyes. It looked quite lifelike.

"Wow," the girl breathed, her amazement clear as day. Severus could see her uninjured hand inching to touch the toy. Dumbledore must have seen it too, because the dragon floated into her lap. Startled, she glanced at the older wizard, as if waiting for permission.

"Its yours, young one," said Dumbledore.

"R-Really?" Slowly, the girl touched the dragon with her uninjured hand, stroking it as if it were real. "Wow," she said again, smiling for the first time. It was an innocent, truly happy smile - one that Severus was sure the girl hadn't used in a long time. "Magic is wicked!" she declared.

"Language," snapped out Severus before he could stop himself. If there was one thing that he was harsh about - besides potions - it was language. He would not tolerate slang.

Beside him, McGonagall chuckled - _bloody chuckled_ - and Pomfrey was giving the girl a warm smile. The girl effected everyone!

Her cheeks now a light pink in embarrassment, the girl bowed her head and said her apology, but it wasn't as sincere as Severus would have liked, since she was still infatuated by the black dragon. "So magic is real," she finally said as she stared at the toy, still smiling. "I wonder who told me that it wasn't?" she muttered.

"So, you believe us then?" said Dumbledore with a grandfather-like smile.

Nodding, the girl hugged the toy to her chest. "Its great!" she declared. "What else can magic do?" she asked, a bright look on her face. It was a look that Severus often saw on Ravenclaws who couldn't wait to learn all that he had to teach them.

_'Or Lily.'_

"Oh, it can do many, many wonderful things. But I'm afraid that lesson is for another time. Now that you know that magic is real, will you let us try out our test?" Dumbledore asked, keeping the smile.

Slowly, the girl seemed to remember what was going on, where she was, and her barriers quickly came back up. She clutched to the doll like it was a lifeline, hunched slightly, and she narrowed her eyes again. "I don' know," she mumbled. She shifted again. "Will it hurt?" she asked timidly.

"It will only hurt if you try keep us out, or force us out once we're inside," said Dumbledore. "And it should seem more like a headache then anything."

"And - And maybe you can find my memories?" said the girl.

"We certainly hope so," answered Dumbledore.

Biting her lip, the girl took a long minute to think before she finally nod. "Okay," she said, but it sounded more like a whimper.

"Excellent! Now, I want you to simply relax - no, please keep your eyes open," the Headmaster said when she attempted to close them. "We can't enter your mind unless we are looking into your eyes."

"M'kay." Blinking once, the girl simply stared - with ridiculously wide eyes - at Dumbledore. "Like this?"

Dumbledore chuckled. "That will do." He raised his wand, pointing it at the unflinching girl, and whispered the spell needed as he looked into her green eyes. "_Legilimen!_"

The next minute went by in silence. The girl was still as her mind was entered, and Dumbledore was the same. McGonagall shifted impatiently, Pomfrey was watching carefully and Severus simply tapped his arm with a long finger to an unknown rhythm. The quiet was soon interrupted though as the girl gave a small cry of pain, her arms twitching before wrapping themselves tighter around the dragon, her eyes still wide. All the adults watched her carefully.

A moment later, the girl cried out again, and screwed her eyes shut just as her magic flared, creating a multicolored barrier around her briefly. She fell to her side, curled into a ball instantly, and shook as Dumbledore came out of her mind a second later.

"Albus, what happened?" asked McGonagall as Pomfrey moved to the girls side, muttering nonsense words of comfort and rubbing her back gently.

Shaking his head , Dumbledore turned to the Potions Master. "Severus, would you?"

Understand the question, Severus gave a short nod. "If she opens her eyes again."

"Albus, you aren't going to try again, are you ?" said Pomfrey, astonished even as she continued to calm the girl. "It obvious causes her pain."

"Yes, and I'm sorry for that, Poppy, but I think it would be best if Severus saw what I did first hand," explained Dumbledore. "So if you would?"

Glaring at her Headmaster slightly, Pomfrey looked like she wanted to say no, but she did as she was told. "Child, you have to open your eyes again," she said gently.

Whimpering, the girl cracked them open, just enough to see, but not enough for Severus to enter her mind. "Do I have to?"

Pomfrey nodded, so the girl uncurled herself slowly, but didn't sit up. She opened her eyes again, and looked directly at Severus.

Not giving her a chance to change her mind, or giving himself a chance to back away, Severus lifted his wand and pointed at the girl. "_Legilimen!_" he whispered. A rush of magic, and Severus felt himself being thrust into the girls mind, rushing through darkness before he found himself landing on something 'solid'.

Glancing around, Snape frowned. Usually, when he entered someone's mind, memories would be floating around, sorted according to the person's mind, though usually the most recent ones would be the closest. But never had he been in a mind that was so... empty. There were a few memories floating around, but he could tell at a glance that they were new - the girl being picked up by him, waking in the infirmary, being questioned by Dumbledore. There was nothing beyond that. So it seemed that she truly had lost her memories. Or at least, she had hidden them away.

His dark eyes taking in the area around him, it was then that Severus noticed the brick wall that took over a large area of the 'room'. Made of black bricks, it shimmered, even though there was no light anywhere, and was immense - there was no other way to describe it. Taller then even the half-giant Hagrid, and Severus could see no end to it. But what interested him was what wrapped around it.

Stepping forward, Severus reached out to 'touch' it. It was like thorny vines, dark green, that dug into the bricks. When he touched it, warmth seeped off them and sparks ran up his fingers. He wasn't sure what they were, whether they were protecting the wall, or holding something back. But he was going to find out.

Mentally, Severus pushed at the wall, looking for any weak spots that would allow him to bring down the wall and pass. But he didn't get very far before a loud shriek filled the room. It was like the girls banshee shriek from before, and this time, Severus gave himself the luxury of throwing his hands over his ears and wincing.

Then he gasped as he felt something push back against his mind. It was just like the vines, warm and giving off simmering sparks of many different colors, but now he could feel the thorns, as they were wrapped around him and digging into his skin. Her mind was fighting back. It didn't want him to go any farther.

Before he could even think about retreating though, the push got stronger, and the connection between Severus and the girl broke he was pushed out of her mind. It was unpleasant, and Severus felt the mind briefly attack his, clawing at his mind like a frightened animal before it retreated back into in sanctuary.

Blinking as he found himself back in his own body, he instantly turned to the Headmaster, ignoring the cries of the girl and the nurse as she comforted her. "That was - a wall?"

Dumbledore nodded. "A wall is holding back her older memories. It seems she created it with her magic, to hide and protect more... unpleasant memories."

"But they're all gone."

A look of sadness crossed Dumbledore's old face, and Severus was reminded just how old the wizard was. "Yes, they are, aren't they? I must say, it seems that this young lady's entire childhood was unpleasant in some way or another."

"And the wall forced us out - without even a metal command from her," muttered Severus lowly. "It acted on its own." THe young man shook his head. "I've never heard of anything like that before."

"I must say, even at my old age, I haven't either," agreed Dumbledore. "This certainly is an unusual child."

Crying caught Severus' attention, and he spared a glance at the girl. Tears were pouring down her face, and her grip on the dragon was so tight he was surprised it hadn't burst at the seam. "It hurts," she moaned, shaking badly. "Please, not 'gain."

Shaking her head, Pomfrey glared at the wizards. "She's having a bad reaction to having someone rummage around her mind." she said briskly before standing. "I'll get her a headache potion," the nurse stated before bustling off.

Again, the girl looked vulnerable, and for a short moment, Severus felt sorry for her. She looked smaller then usual, and more fragile. He shifted uncomfortably as another loud sob escaped her, he didn't know how to deal with such a young child, Severus himself barely remembered his own childhood, though he had a good reason behind it. What was he suppose to do - hold her? Comfort her? The very thought made him sneer. Even the youngest children of Slytherin didn't want _hugs_, they usually just talked, and if things got more out of hand, Calming Potions, which were always kept nearby.

He didn't have to worry about that though, as Pomfrey came rushing back, a potion in hand. "Ssh, its alright," she said comfortingly, while holding out the small vial. "Here, something for your headache, dear." When the girl didn't move, she sighed. "You'll have to sit up to take it."

"I don't wanna move," the girl mumbled. "Make my head hurt 'gain. They make it hurt 'gain."

"Its alright now, dear, they won't do it again."

The girl looked up briefly. "Promise?" she asked with a sniffle.

At this, Pomfrey paused and glanced at the two Legilimens. "Well? Will you do it again?"

"No," said Dumbledore. "I don't think we will. There's is no way to retrieve any of her memories at this point."

Nodding, Pomfrey smiled at the girl. "See? They won't do again, I promise." She held out the vial again. "So will you take this, please?"

"... Kay," the girl said quietly. Sitting up slowly, and clutching to the dragon awkwardly with her bad arm the entire time, she took the potion with a shaky hand. She sniffed it when it was near her mouth. "Smells bad," she said with a wrinkle of her nose. She looked to Severus, and he stiffened. "Do I have ta take it?" she asked him.

Why was she asking him? He barely talked to her before, why would she even trust his judgment? But then he saw the quick and wary glance at Pomfrey. She was frightened of the nurse now, probably because she forced her to let Severus enter her mind. "Yes," he finally answered. "You do. It will make you feel better."

Grimacing, the girl drank the potion, and her face suggested she wanted to spit it out. "Yucky!" she said after she finished it, Madam Pomfrey taking the vial out of her hands.

"Most potions, unfortunately, are yucky," said Dumbledore with a chuckle.

Blinking, the girl nodded slowly. "Yah. Taste like somethin' rot - " she paused to yawn, "rotten. But pain's gone now." Rubbing her drooping eyes, the girl yawned again. If Severus were a normal wizard, he would have raised an eyebrow at the girl's sudden sleepiness.

"Why don't you lie down," suggested Pomfrey gently. "Get some sleep."

"M'not sleepy though," the girl murmured, even as her head began to nod.

Shaking her head in a motherly way, the nurse gently pushed the girl back onto the bed, who barely resisted, though she still held onto the stuffed toy. She sighed as she snuggled against the fluffy pillow, Madam Pomfrey pulling the blanket up to her chin. "Is nice," she muttered. "Soft. Warm." Her eyes falling shut, the girl was in a deep sleep within a matter of seconds, looking strangely relaxed.

"Some Dreamless Sleep in the pain potion, Pomfrey?" drawled Severus. "How Slytherin of you."

"Oh, shush, Severus." said Pomfrey, though she didn't try and hide the small smile. "She'll wake up in an hour or so, anyway."

"So, what do we do, Albus?" asked McGonagall, who had been silent for awhile. "She doesn't even remember her own name, and you can't find any memories in her mind."

"We'll do the best we can," answered Albus. "I will call the Aurors in the morning, and maybe they can help us. But for now, I suggest we all go to bed since its getting late." He stood. "I'm sure I don't have to remind you to check on your your holiday students?"

Both Severus and McGonagall nodded.

"Then I will see you both in the morning."

~o0o~

"I'm here to tell you that we have a guest in the castle," said Severus.

As expected, his Slytherins didn't start whispering, or asking him various questions. They each gave their nods, and waited for him to finish, though they did look curious.

"This guest is currently staying in the hospital ward, and I shouldn't have to tell you not to act like _Gryffindor's_ and go try find out who it is," sneered Severus, the House of Lions spat out like a curse. He glanced over his snakes with firm glare, and all his students raised their heads, meeting his stares. "Our guest was injured, and need rest. But if I find out that any one of you went snooping around, or telling _anyone_ else, you'll be scrubbing halls for a month with Filch. Understood?"

"Yes, Professor Snape!" said the Slytherins in unison.

With a brisk nod, Severus turned on his heel, ready to head for his personal chambers down the hall. It wasn't until he had left the common room, the portrait of a woman holding a inky black cat as its guardian, did he allow himself to sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his ink-stained fingers. He need a drink - a finger of some good fire whiskey sounded perfect at the moment.

As he made his own way to the portrait which hide his private rooms, his thoughts went - unwilling - to the girl in the infirmary. Now that they were certain that she had no memories, what could they do for her? Find her family? While they still had to do that, there was no question that she would not be returning to them. But then were would the girl go? If she was anything less then pure-blood, there was more of a chance that she would go to a Muggle orphanage. And how could they even know that if she couldn't even remember her own name?

"Troubles, Severus?"

Glancing up, Severus gave a polite nod to the portrait that guarded his rooms. "Nothing that Dumbledore can't handle on his own, Salazar."

Salazar Slytherin, one of the four Founders and the Founder of his House, raised a black eyebrow. He had been young and handsome when his portrait was made, inky black hair that was pulled back with a dark green ribbon, dark green eyes that were almost black, and a slender face. He was dressed in black robes, but silver, one of his two favorite colors, accented the edges. A hint of silver could be seen at his neck, revealing a chain. "Oh? Has this to do with the child brought in earlier?"

When the Head of House raised his own eyebrow, the Founder chuckled. "The walls have ears, Severus. Portraits will gossip about anything like there is no tomorrow. And the latest gossip is about the girl. So, tell me, why is she in the infirmary? Where did she come from?"

"I didn't know you were such a gossip," sneered Severus. "And really, its none of your business. Dittany."

Frowning at the password and obvious dismissal, Salazar swung his portrait open, letting Severus into his quarters. "It wouldn't be kept a secret for long, Severus," said the Founder, even as the Head of his House ignored him. "I warn you."

The rooms that Severus had been given weren't large, or even decorated, as he was rarely in them during the school year, save to sleep or 'relax' during the weekend. The winter and summer holidays were the only times he spent a large amount of time in them. But despise the fact that they weren't huge, the rooms were comfortable. The living room had little furniture, only two armchairs that sat near the fireplace, which he lit with a mutter spell and a flick of his wrist, and bookshelves. One wall that was lined with books on potions, spells, and a number of other things, including the books he had kept from his years at Hogwarts.

His other rooms were like that too - only the bare necessity's. He didn't even use the kitchen, since he ate all of his meals in the Great Hall, and if ever wanted anything, the house-elves would be more then happy to get it for him. The only things he kept in there was a set of glasses and a few bottles of fire whiskey. Which was what he was headed for at that very moment.

Pouring himself a finger, Severus wasted no time throwing it back, wincing as the burning liquid hit the back of his throat before making its way down to his stomach, leaving a trail fire behind in it wake. He didn't usually drink, but after the events that had just happened within the last few hours, he needed it.

Another finger, and another toss back. Severus grimaced. Damn that girl and her green eyes. They were bringing back memories that he thought he'd buried away. Of Lily, of the relationship they once had, and the promise he made to her long ago. For her bloody child, Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Somehow-Lived, and her husband, James Potter. The boy who helped make his years at Hogwarts a hell.

He snorted. Well, at least he didn't have to worry about the promise he made for quite a long time. Potter lived with his relatives at the moment, and wouldn't be coming to Hogwarts for years.

Pouring himself a much full glass of fire whiskey, Severus went back into the living room, sinking into the closest chair before he slowly sipped at his drink, letting the warmth of the fire washing over him. Despite what his students thought, he didn't like the cold - he enjoyed the warmth, just like the snake that was the symbol for his house enjoyed the sun. Severus only kept his classroom at a low temperature because it was safer for his potion ingredients.

Closing his eyes, Severus tried to relax and basked in the silence and warmth. He rarely got a chance to do anything like this, so he was going to enjoy it -

That thought was interrupted by the whoosh of fire as someone Floo called him. "Severus!"

Oh, for the love of Merlin's blue balls...

His eyes snapping open, Severus was greeted by the fiery-green head of Madam Pomfrey. "What?" he growled.

"I don't know what happened, I just went into the other room for a minute!" The usually calm nurse looked frantic and she rambled on. "To get another potion, for the pain she was complaining about since I'd just given her the Skele-Gro, and when I came back - I don't know what to do, Severus! I've looked everywhere, and Dumbledore says I should call you and McGonagall, but she's not in her room yet!"

"Pomfrey, calm yourself," Severus snapped. "Now tell me what happened."

"Severus, the girl is gone! She's run off!"


	4. Shadows

**Shadows**

.

Not even five minutes later, Severus was marching through the castle halls, such a dark look on his face that if any students had been out about, they would have run for their lives. How dare that brat run off? Was she an idiot? It wouldn't be so bad if she wasn't injured, or if she a student. Then at least he could punish her accordingly.

But no, this little girl without a name or any memories, was stumbling around the castle somewhere, without knowing anything about magic. And this castle wasn't exactly safe, even if it was a school. Ghosts, Peeves the poltergeist, moving staircases, and of course, any wander Gryffindors. They would have to find her as soon as possible, before she hurt herself.

Flinging the doors open as he entering the hospital wing, Severus wasn't surprised to see Madam Pomfrey looking frantic. She had never lost a student before, and certainly not one that was still injured. McGonagall was already at her side, trying to calm her down, while Dumbledore stood near by looking worried. They must have arrived by the Floo. Severus could have used the Floo to return to the hospital wing the moment he was called, but he didn't like to use it unless absolutely necessary. It gave him a headache, and potions with alcohol didn't mix well.

Dumbledore looked up at Severus' arrival. "Severus."

"I take it she hasn't been found yet," said Severus.

"Not yet," answered Dumbledore.

"How did this happened?"

Off to the side, Madam Pomfrey cried out, "Its all my fault! I gave her the Skele-Gro for her wrist before she went to sleep, but then she woke up and was complaining about the pain, so I went to get her a potion for it! When I came back, she was gone!" A sob escaped her. "I knew she didn't know anything about magic, I should have kept a closer eye on her, or at least lock the doors!" The sobs became louder.

"Now, now, dear, it wasn't your fault," said McGonagall soothingly. "And right now, we have to focus on finding the poor girl."

"If we even knew her name, we could try the Locate spell," said Dumbledore thoughtfully. "Alas, if wouldn't do much good anyway, since the ward's surrounding Hogwarts does not permit those kind of spells."

"The best thing we can do at the moment, Headmaster, is search for the girl on our own," said Severus dryly. "We will have to split up."

"An excellent idea, Severus," said Dumbledore, the twinkles in his eyes going into overdrive. It made Severus a little wary. "I will search the dungeons and first floor along with Poppy. Minerva, the second floor, and Severus, the third floor, if you please. I will alert the other professors and ask that they search the other floors and towers."

"Do you - _sniff_ - think she went that far?" asked the sniffling nurse.

"Its a possibility." Smiling gently, Dumbledore patted Madam Pomfrey on the shoulder. "Don't worry, we'll find her. Now, if any of us find her, we will alert the others with some sort of spell, understand?"

"Yes, Headmaster," said Severus, white Madam Pomfrey and McGonagall both nodded. Without saying another word to his fellow professors, Severus marched off, heading towards the third floor. He almost hoped that he didn't find the brat, otherwise he just might want to hex her for keeping him out of bed.

The third floor was like any other floor at night - dark, quiet, and to any besides Severus Snape, creepy without the usual hustle and bustle of students. The portraits were all sleeping, though some woke up at his arrival, and none of the ghost were around, not even Peeves was out.

Glancing around the empty hall, Severus lifted his wand. "_Lumos_," he said lowly with a swish. A small of ball of soft blue light appeared at the end of his wand, and he swept it around slowly, searching for any sort of clue as to where that girl went.

"Oi! Put that light out!" a nearby portrait of a fat and oddly colourful wizard said loudly. "We're trying to sleep!"

"Silence!" snarled the potions professor. "I am not in the mood for your petty complaints."

Looking offended, the wizard made an angry noise before he slipped out of his portrait, quickly disappearing from view as he went to the next portrait, ready to quietly complain to whoever would listen. Smirking in triumph, Severus made his way to the first door. It opened with a creak, and carefully, Severus swept his wand across the classroom. But there was no sign of anyone being in there recently. Now scowling in disappointment, Severus shut the door before he made his way to the next one.

Half an hour later, and almost the entire third floor searched, and Severus was getting angrier by the second. Where could that little brat have gone? She couldn't have gotten that far, and the pain of her bones re-growing would definitely slow her down, for it wasn't a pleasant process, it was like that area was filled with a large amount of pins and needles.

Huffing, Severus shook his head as he closed another door. She was probably on another floor, and soon enough, one of the Professors would send him a message telling him that they found her.

And as the thought went through his mind, a white blur came zooming down the corridor, pausing in front of him before becoming a small paper white dove; Madam Pomfrey's he assumed as it opened it beak wide. "_We've searched the entire first floor and the dungeon, no sign of her,_" said the dove in the matron's voice. _"Dumbledore has employed the other professors and the ghost to look for her as well."_ And then as quickly as it came, the dove was gone, nothing more the a piece of paper on the ground.

Growling now, Severus sent the paper on fire, watching it quickly burn into nothing more then ashes before stomped his way over to the next door, which lead to a cupboard. Where was that blasted girl? His pale hand wrapped around the bronze handle, and Severus yanked the door open, prepared to see only some brooms and rags. Instead, he froze.

Huddle in the corner of the small cupboard was the girl, whimpering softly as she clutched her once boneless wrist, its wrappings now a very light brown. She was still in the thin nightgown, shivering from the cold, and the dragon Dumbledore had given her was in her lap. "It hurts," she whispered, even though Severus was sure she didn't know he was there, since her eyes were screwed shut. "It hurts."

Softening - _only slightly!_ - in concern, Severus knelt down so that he was at eye level with the girl. "Enough of your whimpering, child." he said firmly.

At that, the girl's eyes snapped open, and the professor was again subject to the bright green eyes that reminded him too much of Lily. "Y-You're that magic guy," the girl stuttered out. "The one in m-my mind." Her eyes went wide at that memory, and she immediately shut them again. "No! You promise you wouldn't again!"

"I am not going to enter you mind again," snapped out Severus. "Now what did you think you were doing, leaving the infirmary? You're still injured, and the medicine Madam Pomfrey gave you will cause some pain until your wrist is completely healed."

Sniffling, the girl opened her eyes. "But it was scary in there! And too big! All those shadows were gonna get me!"

Frowning since he didn't understand what the blasted girl meant, Severus reached out with his mind, with a light enough touch that she would never notice he was there.

_The infirmary wasn't completely dark, a few lite candles dimly glowing so that the corner of the girl was sleeping it was just bright enough so she could see. The girl whimpered, glancing around. Without the curtains surrounding her, it felt as if the room was enormous, never ending, and where the candle light stopped shining, she could see flickers of shadows, creeping up to her so they could hurt her._

_ A hand, large fingers, dark eyes, and a evil grin with the promise of pain. With a flinch, the girl dove under the blankets, pulling it tight around her as she shook in fear._

Retreating from her mind, Severus sighed. She wasn't afraid of the dark, like most children were, or small spaces. She was afraid of shadows and large spaces.

"Are you gonna make me go back?" asked the girl quietly, clutching at her dragon. "I don't wanna."

Would he make her go back to a place she was scared of? Madam Pomfrey would, determined to make sure that the girl was close by in case of an emergency. But what emergency could happen? She no longer had hypothermia, any breaks had been healed, and any bruises or bleeding had been taken care of. In fact, the only thing wrong was the pain that the Skele-Gro was probably causing her.

"I will have to take you back there," Severus finally said, and the girl shrank. "But I'll make sure that the shadows are gone before I leave you." No, he wasn't acting nice. He was just trying to get her out of the damn cupboard so he could go back to his rooms. That's what he told himself.

Biting her lip, the girl thought about it for a few long moment before she spoke again. "Promise?"

"Yes," Severus snapped. She always wanted a damn promise. "Now come along, child, its late. We should get you back to bed."

Nodding, the girl tried to stand up, using her good hand to cling to the wall, her dragon held awkwardly across her chest with her bad arm. He could see her legs were trembling with effort, her knobby knees knocking together. "Sorry," she said, glancing at him. "My legs feel kinda funny."

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes - it was a juvenile thing to do - Severus held out his hand. The girl's eyes went wide at the gesture, and he snapped out, "It will not bite, child. Now take my hand, I would like to get back to my rooms at a reasonable hour."

Eying his hand like it was a wild dog, she slowly reached out with her own hand - only to stumble forward since she was no longer holding on to the wall. Before Severus knew what he was doing, he had his arms held out, catching the girl before she hit the ground. It felt like she weighed nothing, and he could feel bones through her nightgown. "Are you always this clumsy?" asked Severus dryly.

"Sorry!" the girl squealed, and tried to stand up again.

"Stop your fidgeting, child," Severus snapped again. He was doing that a lot. "It will be much quicker if I just carry you." Scooping up the girl before she could protest, he soon had her in his arms, cradled across his chest. He remembered his mother doing this when he was little.

"I-I can walk!" the girl protested, even though her good hand was clutching at his robes. "Really!"

Ignoring her, Severus drew his wand. That immediately shut her up while he momentarily thought of a happy thought. _"Expecto patronum!"_ he finally said. A burst of white light came from the end of his wand, and a white mist appeared, vaguely looking like a large, four legged creature. He wasn't ready let Dumbledore see what his Patronus was just yet. "Dumbledore, I have found the girl, you may tell the other professors that they may stop the search. I shall meet you back at the infirmary with the child." He flicked his wand, and the light leapt away, disappearing as it went through a stone wall.

"Was that more magic?" asked the girl in a whisper as he stashed his wand away. "It was so pretty."

"Hn," was the simple answer Severus gave before he started forward, intent on getting this girl back so he could get to his rooms. Of course, it seemed that someone had other plans.

Soft footsteps and whispers stopped the professor before he had even taken two steps. The child in his arms glanced up at him, probably wondering why he was stopping, but thankful, stayed quiet. Not bothering to draw his wand, he pressed himself to the wall, the darkness hiding him. Though the same couldn't be said for the girl, who's nightgown was bright white.

Scowling, he did the only thing he could do at the moment - he brought out his wand again and with a tap, turned the glowing white gown pitch black. "Stay quiet and keep your head down," he ordered with a whisper, and received a nod against his chest in answer.

A few more moments passed before he could finally see a small ball of light as the two students turned the hall before unknowingly making their way towards him. "Maybe we should go back, Bill," whispered one that Severus recognized as Charlie Weasley. "Snape might be wandering around."

"I doubt it," said the other student, Bill Weasley. "Remember what McGonagall said? I bet he's probably in his room, wondering how he could use the stranger in his potions."

"You would be wrong, Mr. Weasley," said Severus as he stepped forward.

~o0o~

Charlie Weasley glanced around, only seeing portraits as they slept. "Maybe we should go back, Bill," he whispered to his brother. It was Bill's idea to sneak down to see the stranger that McGonagall had said would be staying in the infirmary for awhile. He didn't want to do - he had never broke curfew before - but he wanted to prove to his older brother that he wasn't scared. "Snape might be wandering around."

Scoffing softly, Bill shook his head. "I doubt it. Remember what McGonagall said?" He grinned. "I bet he's probably in his room, wondering how he could use the stranger in his potions."

Before Charlie could even force out a laugh, a figure stepped out of the shadow's. "You would be wrong, Mr. Weasley," drawled Snape.

"P-Professor Snape," forced out Bill. "We were just - ah..."

"Can't even give a good explanation to why you're out in the corridors past curfew?" sneered Snape. "Let me guess, you wanted to see our new visitor?"

As Bill tried to stammer out a reply, Charlie was distracted by something stirring in the professors arms, mostly hidden in the dark robes. In fact, it was only thanks to the light his brother swung around that he saw it. Something lifted its head up briefly, and Charlie could see a small, pale face. It was a girl, about the same age as his youngest brother, Ron, with ink black hair that blended with Snape's robes and bright green eyes that shone in the darkness like fairy lights. The girl noticed his stare, and she buried her face back in Professor's Snape's chest.

A kid? What was a kid doing in Hogwarts? And why the bloody hell was Snape holding her? It was like Charlie had just stepped into some strange universe - like in those Muggle stories he read without his mum knowing.

"Both of you will lose ten points for Gryffindor," Snape was saying, ignoring the girl in his arms, "and you will each have detention with me the night after tomorrow as punishment."

"But its Christmas Eve!" yelped Bill.

"You should have that before you decided to sneak out," said Snape without pause.

The girl lifted her head again, looking up at Snape. Charlie wondered if she could see up his large hook nose. "Sir?" she said softly. He could know see that she was holding something - was that a stuffed dragon?

Snape looked down at her with a glare, and she flinched a little, but went on. "Can't they do their pu-punishment after Christmas?" she asked rather bravely. "Please?"

Their was silence as both Charlie and Bill stared at the girl, their jaws dropped to the floor. Was this kid really trying to stand up to Snape for them? Didn't she know that no one stood up to Snape and lived? Except for Dumbledore, course, but he was the strongest wizard alive! She was just a little girl.

"And why should I do that?" sneered Snape.

"Be-Because it would nice?" the girl said timidly.

In the back of his mind, Charlie wondered if this girl had a death wish. Did she really just tell Professor Snape - the evil bat of the dungeons - to do something because it would be _nice_? This man was never nice to anyone except his Slytherins, it was unheard of!

"Besides, you don't wanna be busy on Christmas Eve, do ya?" the girl went on. "I mean, that's when you spend time with your family, and put out cookies for Saint Nicolas!" She looked to the Weasley boys. "Right?"

Still in shock, Charlie and Bill nodded slowly, almost out of reflex.

"... Fine," spat Snape. "Your detentions will be with me the day after Christmas. Now get back to your dorms and into bed before I change my mind!"

Nodding rapidly, both the Weasley boys raced ahead, not wanting to get in even more trouble. The last thing they heard before they were out of range was the girl saying, "Thank you!" brightly to Snape.

They were soon outside the Gryffindor common rooms, panting harshly in front of Fat Lady painting, who was clicking her tongue as she looked down on them. Finally catching his breathe, Charlie looked to his brother and said, "We are never doing that again!" Then he punched his brother in the arm.

Giving the password to the Gryffindor guardian, Charlie made his way to his currently empty room, ignoring his brother's groans about getting detention. He was going to go write to his mum and ask her to send some extra fudge to him - so he could give it to that girl. He had to thank her, of course, it was the polite thing to do. And besides, who didn't love his mother fudge?

~o0o~

"Ah, its good see that you are unharmed, young lady," said Dumbledore with a bright smile.

The girl didn't hesitate to bury her face in Severus' shoulder, her good hand clutching at his robes once more. Her robes were white again, making her look paler then usual in the bright light that filled the room. For some reason, she seemed to be scared of everyone except him, though Severus couldn't see why - she should be scared of him instead!

"What were you thinking, young lady?" scolded Madam Pomfrey, no longer hysterical. "Just running off like that. You could have been seriously hurt." She blinked when the girl didn't even look up. "Is she alright?"

"She's fine, if only a little cold and tired," Severus said as he moved to the bed. "She was hiding in a cupboard on the third floor. Said she was scared of the shadows in here." When Madam Pomfrey frowned, he sighed and said, "Just don't worry about lighting any candles, and I'd keep the curtains around the bed."

As Severus tried to put the girl down - _finally_ - she cried out and wrapped her good arm tightly around his neck. If he hadn't been expecting it, he might have choked. "No! Please don't go!"

"Let go of me, child,' snapped Severus, tugging her.

"No! Please don't leave me alone again!" the girl whimpered. "You said you'd get rid of the shadows!"

"And I will," Severus growled. "But you have to let me go first!"

Whimpering again, it took the girl a moment before she finally let her arm fall back into her lap. Severus placed her on the bed, and without waiting a moment, Madam Pomfrey was at her side, pulling up her blankets and looking over her for any visible wounds. "Are you alright, dear? Anything hurt?"

Flinching, the girl looked to her hands. "M'okay," she mumbled. "My wrist was hurtin', but not anymore."

"Mm." Very gently, Madam Pomfrey looked over her wrist, lighting pressing against it with her second and third finger. The girl was watching her like a wild animal, just waiting for her to attack. Severus had seen many children in his house like that when they first came to Hogwarts - yet he still hadn't gotten use to it.

"Well, it looks like your bones have all grown back with no complications," Madam Pomfrey finally said as she stepped back. With a flick, the bandages were gone. "I say all you need now is a good nights sleep." She waved her wand, and the curtains wrapped half around her bed, Severus still at her side. "Can you turn out the lights when you leave, Severus?"

"Of course," said Severus with a nod.

"It seems this young lady is growing fond of you," said Dumbledore with a chuckle as he joined them. The twinkle in his eyes was getting brighter by the second. "I'm glad, Severus."

"Well, I'm not," growled Severus lowly.

"Sev'rus? Is that your name?" asked the girl as she rubbed her wrist. She wrinkled her nose when Dumbledore nodded. "Its kinda funny. But," she went on before Severus could snap at her, "I like it." Then she sighed. "Wish I could remember my name."

"Well, I'm sure your family will remind you what your name is once we find them," said Dumbledore in a comforting way. But it didn't help, the girl simply nodded her head and stared at her hands, twisting them in her lap.

"I hope you sleep well," said Dumbledore. "Goodnight, young lady." As the girl mumbled her own goodnight, he turned to Severus. "Goodnight, Severus."

"I will see you in the morning, Headmaster," Severus said with a nod.

As Dumbledore left, the girl grabs the sleeve of his robe. "The shadows?" she said in a whisper.

Raising an eyebrow at the request, Severus raised his wand and pointed it at the nearest light, which looked like a Muggle oil lamp, save for the fact that there was a ball of light inside it. With a silent 'Nox', the light was out, and he repeated that spell until there was only one light left, near the door.

"There, I've gotten rid of your shadows," said Severus in a sneer. "Now go to sleep." He was just about to close the curtains when the girl spoke again.

"Sir? Will you come back tomorrow?" the girl asked softly, looking as she would be afraid of his answer.

"We will see," Severus answered, since he wasn't sure himself. He wanted to just say no, but more then likely, Dumbledore would probably force him to come down again, ignoring the fact that he wouldn't want to. "Sleep."

Nodding, the girl laid down, pulling the blankets over her and holding the dragon close. "Good night, Mr. Sev'rus," she said with a yawn, snuggling to her pillow. "And... thank you."

Pulling the curtains shut, Severus marched to the door and with one final spell, the last light went on, leaving the room in total darkness before he shut the door.

~o0o~

The moment the door was closed, the room was enveloped in pitch black darkness that instantly calmed her. The girl was sure that even if she held her hand right up to her face, she still won't be able to see it.

Holding her stuffed dragon tight, the girl sighed happily. She knew that this wasn't the best situation, but she didn't feel so bad anymore. Yes, she didn't even know her own name, or if she even had a family, let alone remember who they were. But she had been told that magic existed, and her toy proved it, thanks to the man with the really long beard, even though he scared her a little. She liked the dark man, Mr. Sev'rus, better.

Smiling, the girl had to hold back a giggle. To others, Mr. Sev'rus might seem too mean, but to her, he was just being himself. And to her, that was a good thing. He wasn't trying to be fake, not like the grandpa, or the nurse who had lied to her. He was always straight forward. She liked that.

Brushing her lanky hair away from her face, the girl sighed. She had yet to look in a mirror, she had no idea what she looked like. She guessed that she had black hair, and pale skin with a tiny body, but her eyes, her face, even her age, she didn't remember. It was like her mind had been wiped clean.

Biting her lip, the girl suddenly wished for light, like Mr. Sev'rus did, so she could find her way to the bathroom.

And as she wished for it, the nearby lamp suddenly lit up, flooding the corner of her room with light. Blinking as the light blinded her briefly, the girl took a moment to wonder what just happened before scrambling out of bed, leaving of her toy dragon there to wait for her. She padded over to the nearby door, her bare feet tingling as they hit the cold floor, which she hoped lead to the bathroom.

Whatever the room was, it was dark when the girl peeked inside. It took her a moment to realize that it was the bathroom, though a strange one. Another light lit up the room, showing a large tub that was the size of a small pool, small chamber pots, and round basin's for sinks with large mirrors hanging over them. The girl frowned, the mirrors were too high up, she couldn't see them. Still, she was gonna try.

Grabbing the edge of the sink, the girl stood on her tip toes, trying to pull herself up. But before could groan about how short she seemed to be, small steps appeared underneath her, causing her to squeak in shock as she was suddenly high in the air. As she got over the magic that just seemed to happened, she looked into the mirror, and gasped.

She looked awful. She was deathly pale, and so thin that her cheeks were hallow Her black hair was hanging around her face as heavy strands, and her eyes, a bright green color, had black circles under them, making her wonder when the last time she got a good nights sleep.

Lifting a hand, the girl traced her face with a light touch. She wished that she remembered - anything, everything. It was horrible wondering what your own name was, who your parents were, or if she even had family. And she had to wonder why she even lost her memories.

It was a long time before the girl finally looked away from the mirror, making her way carefully down the steps. As she touched the tile floor, she shivered, she hadn't realized how cold she had gotten just standing there. Rubbing her arms, she made her back to her bed, making sure to stay quite so not to wake the nurse.

As she reached the bed, the girl frowned. Something felt wrong. Not with the bed itself, but... it felt like there was something - someone missing. Touching the edge of the bed, the girl closed her eyes, hoping a memory would come to her.

Seconds ticked by, and nothing came to mind. Wishing she could remember with a heavy sigh, the girl climbed into bed, bringing her stuffed dragon into her thin arms and pulling the blankets around her, while the light went out almost instantly. The dragon, somehow, made her feel better, like she wasn't alone, even though it couldn't talk to her.

"Goodnight, Mr. Dragon," the nameless girl whispered to her toy before she curled up, closing her eyes. "I'll give you a better name tomorrow..." she muttered as she finally drifted to sleep.


	5. Dark Clouds

**Dark Clouds**

.

Breakfast was a quiet affair, something that Snape was thankful for. The students that were remaining for the holiday talked lowly, occasionally glancing up at the staff table. He could only assume that they were gossiping about the 'stranger'. He almost snorted as he sipped at his coffee - black with three sugars and just a tiny dollop of cream. He didn't approve of Albus forcing him and the other professors telling the students about the girl - after all, she would be leaving soon enough, and they would forget about her.

As he munched on toast and marmalade, Severus glanced down the table. All the professors that stayed for the holiday were there, except for Dumbledore, and of course, Madam Pomfrey, who usually had her meals in her rooms near the infirmary. He could only guess that the Headmaster was checking up on the girl. For a moment, he thought about her getting through the night, but he quickly pushed that aside.

"P'fessor Snape?"

Severus looked up from his breakfast to see Argus Filch, the Squib caretaker of Hogwarts, standing at the end of the table, his cat, Mrs. Norris, winding between his legs and meowing loudly, probably hungry. "Headmaster wants you to meet him in the infirmary. Yeh too, P'fessor McGonagall."

Nodding, Severus took another long sip from his coffee before he stood up, McGonagall doing the same a moment later. "Did Albus say what he wanted us for?" she asked Filch.

"No, ma'am," answered Filch, "but I saw some Aurors with 'im."

McGonagall looked worried, but Severus remembered the conversation he had with Dumbledore before they realized the girl had no memory. It must be Shacklebolt. He frowned. While he had no reason to hate the Auror, Shacklebolt didn't like him. Even though Dumbledore had swore in front of the Wizengamot that Severus had been a spy for Light, there were few that actually believe him, instead thinking that he simply tricked the older man. And Shacklebolt was one of them.

His eye twitching once was the only sign of his discomfort as Severus made his way to the infirmary, McGonagall close behind him. He just wanted to get this over with.

"Ah, good morning," said Dumbledore with a bright smile as they entered the room. "Glad you could join us so quickly!" He nodded to the man standing across from him. "You remember Auror Shacklebolt, don't you?"

A tall, dark-skinned man, Shacklebolt, nodded in Severus' direction, though he narrowed his eyes slightly at former spy's arrival. The woman next to him stared at him, not in a accusing way, but a studying way. She wasn't much older than him, with dark blonde hair pulled into a bun, though some strands were hanging around her face, and dark blue eyes peering through glasses. Both she and Shacklebolt were wearing ink black robes, the initials of the Ministry of Magic - M.o.M. - on the front.

"And this young woman is Miss Darcy Thomson, who works in Special Victims Department," said Dumbledore, waving a hand towards the woman. "They'll both be helping us find out where our young guest came from. I've already told them what happened, and have given them my memory of when we found her and the events following. If you would do the same, Severus."

Severus glanced at said guest, who was sitting at a small table that had been conjured up, her bare feet not even touching the floor. She was staring at the tray that was before her, breakfast laying untouched. Every few seconds, her eyes flickered over to the Dumbledore and the Aurors, as if waiting for them to do something horrible. It seemed she was still afraid of almost everyone.

Except him, of course._ 'Bloody hell,'_ he cursed silently.

Hearing his name, she looked to him, and her bright green eyes lite up. "Mr. Sev'rus!" Scrambling off the chair, the girl ran to him, throwing her arms around his waist and bury her face in his stomach before he had a chance to stop her. "You came back!" she said happily. He noticed that she was now dressed in a dark brown pinafore, a white blouse underneath it, both probably given to her by Madam Pomfrey.

"Let go of me, child," Severus growled. He didn't care about the glare the Shacklebolt sent his way, but was more worried about the soft smiles that McGonagall and Dumbledore were giving him. They made him want to flinch and squirm on the spot.

Instead of doing as she was told, the girl looked up at him and smiled. She was still pale and sickly, but now there was also a small blush in her cheeks. "But you came back! I was worried you wouldn't! Did you know that they have elf's here? It was all tiny and wrinkly, but did magic with outta wand!"

"You mean a house-elf?" said Severus dryly.

"Yeah, that was it!" the girl said with a nod. "It had _really_ big ears!"

"Young lady!" Madam Pomfrey came into the room, a frown on her face as she looked to the tray. "You haven't touched your breakfast yet! Now let Professor Snape go and eat!"

Shaking her head, the girl suddenly hid behind him, clinging to his robes. "Don't wanna!"

"Really, child, come and eat!" said Pomfrey firmly. "You need to eat if you want to get better."

"M'not hungry!" the girl protested. But even as she finished her sentence, a growl came from her stomach. She blushed in embarrassment, and hide further behind Severus. "M'not hungry," she repeated.

"Enough of this!" Picking up the girl under her armpits, Severus ignored her squeal of fright as lifted her into the air before he carried back over to the table, holding her out in front of him so she wouldn't cling to him again. "You will sit here," he said as he sat her in the chair, "and eat. Your body needs fuel to survive, and right now, you're not giving it any. So eat of your own free will, or I will force you to," he promised coldly.

"But -"

"But what?" Severus shot back. "What reason could you have for not eating a perfectly good breakfast?"

The girl didn't answer with words, instead, she glanced over at Madam Pomfrey and Dumbledore, who were watching her subtly, waiting for her to eat. It took a moment for Severus to understand, and he huffed before he picked up the nearby spoon and shoved into the girl's hand. "Eat," he said, but this time more softly, so the other couldn't hear. "There is nothing wrong with the food. I promise."

She hesitated for a moment, but finally, the girl nodded before she scooped up some plain porridge into her mouth. Almost instantly, she sighed in relief, probably glad to find that the food was safe before she ate without hesitation, trying to scarf down everything on her plate, which consisted of the porridge, some applesauce, dry toast, and finished with a glass of orange juice.

"Slowly, or you'll make yourself sick," Severus growled in warning, and with a light blush, the girl did as she was told, eating at a slower pace. For a moment, Severus was glad that all his students were eleven and up, and knew how to act. Of course, they hadn't lost their memories.

"Your memory, if you would, Severus," Dumbledore reminded him gently, holding out a empty vial. Nodding, he took the vial and pressed his wand to his forehead. Bring the memory to the front of his mind, he gently pulled it out, which appeared like a white, glowing, thread before he placed inside the vial, where it became a swirling mist.

"Wow," said the girl, pausing in her sip of juice. "That was wicked!"

"Language," Severus said briskly as Dumbledore took the vial from him.

"Sorry, sir," said the girl, sounding as if she didn't really mean it though. "But what was that?"

"That was a memory," Dumbledore explained when Severus didn't, "of when Severus and I found you outside of Hogwarts. It will be placed in a Pensive, and the Aurors will be able to observe it as if they were actually there."

"Oh." Going strangely silent, the girl picked at her toast, suddenly loosing her appetite. "I don't remember much of that. Just... cold."

"Well, hopefully, we'll manage to find your family so you can go back to them," said Thomson rather cheerfully.

Wincing, the girl shoulders fell, and she glanced over at Severus. "Yeah..."

Quietly, Dumbledore suddenly moved to Severus' side while they watched the girl nibble at her toast. "Why don't you sit with the girl during the questioning, Severus?" he suggested kindly. "I'm sure she'd like someone to talk to while I talk with Shacklebolt and Miss Thomson."

"Must I?" asked Severus dryly.

"She does seem to like you more anyway," Dumbledore pointed out. "Or, if you rather, you could take her around the castle. Most of the children are enjoying the snow from last night's storm anyway, so there should be few people to bother her."

"... I don't suppose I have a choice, do I?" said Severus answer with a huff.

Chuckling, Dumbledore patted him on the shoulder. "Don't be so unhappy, Severus. It might actually be good for you."

Groaning silently, Severus moved over to the table, ignoring the girl's surprise as he waved his wand, summoning another chair. "Finish your breakfast," he said as he sat down.

"Are you gonna stay with me, Mr. Sev'rus?" asked the girl.

"So it seems," grumbled Severus.

A smile brightening her face, and the girl finished her breakfast in a matter of moments, her plate almost spotless as she turned to him expectantly. "So what are we gonna do, Mr. Severus?" she said cheerfully, swinging her legs back and forth in excitement.

Frowning, Severus racked his brain for a moment. What did young children do for fun? When he was that age, he spent most of his time outside, in the woods behind his home, far as he could get from his mother and father. It was how he learned about plants, and in turn, about Potions. Or he read books of many different subjects. But this girl wasn't him.

"Here we go, dear," said Madam Pomfrey as she stepped up. In her arms was a small big, though being a wizard bag, it could probably hold a lot more than the girl thought. "Look through this bag, I keep it in case the students get bored here."

Hesitantly, the girl took the bag and slowly reached inside. "Oh!" she said after a moment, pulling out a box. As she opened it, she smiled as she saw it hold lead and color pencils, crayons, erasers, and even some water paints. "Can we draw, Mr. Sev'rus?"

"I don't care," Severus growled while the girl drew out a large notebook, all its pages blank. "Do what you want."

Setting everything out, the girl thought for a moment before she carefully pulled a black colored pencil out of the box. For once, she seem happy to ignore Severus while she started to draw something, black staining the pure white paper. Satisfied that the girl was preoccupied, Severus listened in on the conversation that was happening between Hogwarts staff and the Ministry workers.

"... the files, sir," Thomson was saying. "There is no record of a girl her age and description currently missing. And there was definitely not a girl like her currently living in Hogsmeade."

"I don't understand it," Dumbledore mumbled. "If she didn't come from Hogsmeade, where did she come from? That's the closest town for miles, wizarding or Muggle."

"You're guess is as good as mine," Shacklebolt answered. "Oh course, there could be the option that someone drop her off here."

"Its possible," Dumbledore said after a moment. "But its hard to tell. I found no trace of anyone else being there, the snow covering up even her own tracks, and if they had walked to the gates, it would leave no magical reside."

"Its also doesn't help that the girl has no memory of her past, nothing that could help us," said McGonagall with a huff and a shake of her head.

"Could you think of anyone that might want to leave you with the child?" asked Shacklebolt.

"No." said Dumbledore with a shake of his head. "Of course, I'm well known, and this is a school - if someone left her here, they would probably believe that she would be taken care of."

"Thomson - could you check for any girls born five to six years ago and see if any matches the child description?" Shacklebolt asked Thomson. "Maybe her parents haven't reported her missing yet, especially if she was abused like we believe."

"I'll do it as soon as we get back, sir," said Thomson with a nod.

"Mr. Sev'rus." The girl was tugging on the sleeve of his robe. "Lookie!"

Huffing, Severus turned away from the conversation and glared down at... a piece of paper?

"Lookie, Mr. Sev'rus," said the girl, holding her drawing out so it was right in his face. She had ripped the page out of the notebook. "Do you like it?"

Frowning, Severus took a good look at the drawing, which he would admit, was rather good for a child her age, even though it seemed she only used the colors black and green. It was obviously him, dressed in billowing dark robes, and the girl, the girl hiding behind him while he had wand his wand out, a white ball of light at the end much like his Patronus from last night. At first glance, one would think they were related, both with dark hair and thin faces. But the eyes were different, his dark while hers were bright, and his nose was much more pronounced. They were standing outside, their feet sunken in snow, and were seemed to be facing something that looked like a black cloud. There was lighting flying out of it, but the color was wrong. It was green, much like her eyes.

"What is that?" asked Severus after a moment, pointing to the dark cloud.

"I dunno," said the girl. "I had a dream 'bout it last night." Lowering the drawing, she looked confused. "It was laughing, and kept shooting green bolts of lightin' at me."

"And I am... protecting you?" Severus confirmed.

"Uh huh, with your magic," the girl answered with a nod. "Do you like it, Mr. Sev'rus?"

"Its... you draw very well for your age," Severus said honestly.

Beaming, the girl pushed the page off to the side before pulled out another colored pencil as she started a new drawing. This time, Severus watched, wondering if she would draw him again, though he kept an ear towards Dumbledore and the Ministry wizards. Sadly, he learned nothing new besides the fact that they were debating where to send the child till her parents were found or her memory returned, and after a few minutes, stopped listening and watched the girl draw. She actually looked focused, her tongue sticking out the side of her mouth while occasionally frowning as she tried to get the details right.

"What's this, Severus?" asked Dumbledore as he came over a few minutes, picking up the drawing from earlier. The girl, so into her drawing, didn't notice the old man's arrival.

"Something the girl drew," Severus answered as he stood while Dumbledore glanced over the picture, the potions master watching the elder with a careful eye. Something didn't seem right. The moment that the Headmaster's gaze landed on the picture, he seemed to freeze up, not looking away from the drawing for a long moment.

"What is that?" Dumbledore asked quietly, nodding to the dark cloud which he also seemed to notice.

"She says its something she dreamed about last night," Severus answered softly. "Do you know what it is, Headmaster?"

"No," Dumbledore said after a moment. "Though it does look... familiar." He smiled. "I see you're in the picture as well, Severus."

To that, Severus gave the Headmaster a glare that was, of course, ignored.

"She does seems rather... attached to you, Snape," said Shacklebolt said coolly as he came over, though already, Severus could see the gears in his mind moving, probably wondering how tricked the girl. Though he seemed to be ignoring the question of why.

"For reason's I don't understand, yes, she is," Severus said dryly, ignore the looks he got from Pomfrey and McGonagall. They looked pleased that the girl was becoming attached to him.

"Cause Mr. Sev'rus doesn't lie," said the girl, lifted her head up to look at them, pausing in her drawing of what looked like a house-elf, probably the one that brought her breakfast. Her eyes were burning in determination, the same look that Lily had when she was on her way to prove something, but they were also different. They were such a bright color - a green that reminded him of the Killing Curse. "Cause you don't lie 'bout yourself."

Before Severus could even think about what she was saying, Shacklebolt snorted and sent him an open glare, which he returned easily."Obvious, she doesn't know much about you, does she, Snape?" he snapped out. "Once a Death Eater, always a Death Eater, mm?"

Before Dumbledore could tell them to stop, the girl shouted. "Don't be mean to Mr. Sev'rus!" Leaping off her chair once more, she raced to him again, clinging to his robes as she sent her own glare to Shacklebolt before point a finger at him, as if accusing him. "Leave him alone, you - you - you big meanie!" she forced out angrily.

It all happened in a instant, so quickly that there was no way to stop it. One moment, Shacklebolt was standing only a few feet away. Then he was across the room, moaning as he slid down the wall he had just been thrown against. Everyone in the room gasped in shock, even Severus.

Eyes wide, the girl started to back away. The green of her eyes was brighter than before. "I'm sorry," she whimpered before turning on her heel and racing towards the still open doors. Dumbledore, who seemed to compose himself the fastest and remembered what happened the last time the girl ran away, pointed his wand towards the doors, and the child skidded to a stop as the doors slammed in her face.

Not pausing for an instant, the girl instead raced towards the farthest bed, and she crawled under it before anyone could stop her. "M'sorry," she whimpered over and over. "M'sorry."

"Oh dear, that was..." Madame Pomfrey shook her head in astonishment as she went to Shacklebolt's side, checking immediately for any obvious wounds as the Auror placed a hand against his head, groaning in pain.

"Severus," said Dumbledore, and Severus knew what was going to come out of the old man's mouth before he had even finished his name. "Would you please fetch our young ward from under the bed?"

"Of course," Severus forced out, his teeth almost grinding. He marched over to the bed, but didn't even bend down. "Come out, girl, now."

The girl made a frightened noise. "No, you'll hurt meh! Cause I did freaky stuffs. And I'm gonna get hurt for it now."

"You should know by now that I will not harm you," Severus snapped out. "Now come out before I force you out."

Whimpering, the girl scooted forward, far enough that he could see her, but not pull her out. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean ta hurt that man! It just happened!"

"Accidental magic," said Dumbledore, though he didn't step forward, maybe finally sensing that the girl still didn't like him. "Happens to the best of us, dear. We know that you didn't mean to harm Auror Shacklebolt. You were just defending Severus."

"Your -" sniff "- not mad?" When the girl saw Dumbledore nod in answer, she slid out from under the bed, and Severus helped her up after a look from the Headmaster. She was now covered in dust, and her lower lip trembled as she glanced around the room. "Is he gonna be okay?" she asked quietly, looking at Shacklebolt.

"He's in the capable hands of Madam Pomfrey," Dumbledore reassured her. "Are _you_ alright?"

"I think so." The girl looked to Severus. "Did - did I really do that?" She winced, even though nobody moved towards her. "I didn't mean to..."

"It wasn't your fault, dear," spoke up McGonagall. "It was accidental magic. Probably a very weak Stunner."

"Magic... but I can't do magic," said the girl with a shake of her head. "I'm not a wiz-wizard."

"Actually, you're a witch," corrected McGonagall.

"But I don't have a wand like Mr. Sev'rus or Mr. Dum'be," protested the girl, and Severus almost snorted at the nickname she had given Dumbledore.

"Children who aren't in control of their magic tend to use it when they're emotional," McGonagall gently explained. "Tell me, how did you feel when you used magic a few minutes ago?"

"...Kinda mad," the girl admitted. "Cause the mean man was saying bad things to Mr. Sev'rus."

McGonagall nodded with a gentle smile. "And your magic reacted to that. Even though it wasn't a good thing, it certainly wasn't your fault, either. It'll continue to happen your entire life - though it will get better once you've trained - probably here at Hogwarts."

"Oh." Blinking slowly, the girl must have been overwhelmed, for she swayed a bit. "I-I have magic?" She shook her head. "No, I can't have magic," she whispered, mostly to herself. "He... he won't like it."

"Who won't like that?" asked Severus when he realized what the girl just said. "Do you remember something?"

Now looking a little confused, the girl frowned. "I don't know," she said after a moment. "But... I just know _he_ won't like it."

"Auror Shacklebolt will be fine," Pomfrey announced a moment later. "Thankful, all he's gotten was a headache - I've given him a pain potion and will advise that he go home for the day." she said, giving the Auror a stern look.

"I'll be fine, Madam, and will be returning to the Ministry in order to fill out the paperwork about this girl," said Shacklebolt, not giving the girl a look as he moved towards the door. "Thomson, are you coming?"

"Right away, Auror Shacklebolt," said Thomson as she followed. "Goodbye, dear. We'll see you soon."

"I will speak with you later, Dumbledore," said Shacklebolt before he and Thomson were gone, the door closing behind them with only a click.

"I was rather sure that the girl would go with them," said Severus after a moment of quiet, turning to the Headmaster.

"Ah, as was I. But Miss Thomson informed me that they will have to find a home for her first, and for the time being, she'll being staying here in the hospital wing," Dumbledore informed him.

"Wonderful," Severus growled.

A little shriek of surprise caused Severus to whirl around, his spy senses on edge as his hand went to his wand. A hundred different thoughts were going through his head before he finally was realized what he was seeing.

Well, he certainly hadn't been expecting that.

"Wow!" the girl gasped, staring at her hand with wide eyes. Floating above her hand was a very small ball of magic, much like his Patronus from last night. But it wasn't like the misty Patronus he had created. If anything, it was like a pure ball of light, like a wandless Lumos. It was just high enough so tiny wisp of magic brushed the palm of her hand. "I did it!" she squealed, almost jumping in excitement. "I did magic like Mr. Sev'rus!"

Lowering his hand, Severus couldn't help but stare at the magic the girl was doing, though he hid it better than Dumbledore, and much more than McGonagall and Pomfrey. Children did _accidental_ magic for a reason - they couldn't control it, couldn't make it do what they wanted, unless it was by pure accident, like summoning a toy they wanted from across the room. To make her magic listen to her at such young age, was rare, very rare.

"What is it?" asked the girl with a frown when she saw that everyone was staring at her. "Did I do it wrong?"

"How are you doing that, child?" asked Dumbledore after a moment.

Blinking in obvious confusion, the girl looked back to her hand. "I just kinda wished I could do magic like Mr. Sev'rus - I wanted to see if I could really do, like you said, Mr. Dum'be. Is that bad?" she asked, looking at the ball of light with some fear.

"No, its alright," said McGonagall quickly. "Keep it going, for as long as you can." She shook her head as she studied the magical light. "Amazing - I've never seen a child her age have such control of her magic."

"It certainly seems like she must have came from a magical family," muttered Dumbledore, mostly to himself. "It will probably help with the search."

Nodding once in agreement, Severus glanced at the ball of light to the girl. While she seemed to be in control of it, it also seemed to take its toll on her. The longer she went on, the paler she seemed to get, and her hand soon started to shake.

"Release the magic, girl!" Severus snapped out when the girl started to pant lightly. "Draw it back in!"

"I-I don't know how!" the girl whimpered. "It hurts... How do I make it stop?"

Marching over to the girl, Severus knelt in front of her, wincing internally as his knee's cracked. Damn, he was getting old. "Calm down," he said in a low voice, the one he would use on scared first year Slytherin students that wanted to go home. "Relax. Breathe. Let the magic flow back into you, as if it were running though your arm, into your chest, and pooling down into your stomach. That's where your magical core is located."

Shakily, the girl nodded before closing her eyes, temporarily hiding the bright green. She breathed slowly, and after a long moment, her fingers twitched subtly. Then Severus watched as the ball of magic slowly grew smaller, and he could only imagine the magic returning to her core, and the color started to return to her cheeks.

A few moments later, the magic ball was gone, and the girl opened her eyes. "Whoa..." Eyelids fluttering, she stumbled backwards, and it was only thanks to Severus, who grabbed her, that she didn't fall. "I don't feel so good," she muttered.

"You just used a lot of your magic," said Severus calmly as he stood even while the girl suddenly turned green. "And it takes a lot of energy to control it without a wand."

"Ugh... Gonna be sick," the girl said as she slapped her hands to her mouth before racing off to the nearby bathroom. Madam Pomfrey following her. The sound of her retching reached Severus a moment later, followed by sobbing.

"I'm becoming more and more amazed by our young guest," said Dumbledore lowly as he stepped to Severus' side. "Even though she has no memories, she's shown off great mental barriers and strong magical usage - which is usually unheard of in underage children."

"I wonder if her parents realized what kind of potential she has," muttered Severus as the crying started to stop, Madam Pomfrey probably soothing the child. He wondered how much of the girls abilities he'd actually seen. As a Muggle once said, it was probably just the tip of the iceberg.


	6. Sweet Dreams

**Sweet Dreams**

.

The rest of the day went by much faster than Severus would have liked, and before long, it was Christmas Eve morning. The students that had stayed were spending their time outside, enjoying the snow while it lasted, or at least until supper that night. So until then, he was going to spend his time in the dungeons, doing what he did best.

Carefully watching the bubbling potion, Severus sprinkled a pinch of herbs across it while carefully stirring clockwise. Madam Pomfrey always asked him to restock the infirmary potions during the holidays, and now it was becoming so routine for him. She didn't even need to ask anymore. Sometimes, he would get any students in his N.E.W.T. class to help him out, but the only one qualified student he had been able to get was Alexander Fleming, since the young McGonagall was an absolute mess at potions, Jones wasn't interested, and Hunt's nose was buried in yet another book.

At his side, Fleming was carefully making the same potion, though he was slightly slower than Severus. His focus hadn't waver since he started - it was the one subject that he enjoyed doing. The constant focus also meant that his mind wouldn't wander, particular to his drunk father.

Sitting among the many empty seats, Alice Hammond was doing homework, her gaze often flickering to the older Slytherin, sometimes even smiling gently at Fleming before going back to her own work. The younger girl had been friends with Fleming since they were little, and they leaned on each other during the hard times, a drunk father for Fleming, and parents always fighting for Hammond. They listened to each others problems and worries, and since the middle of last year, they'd also started dating. Severus wouldn't be surprised if things went farther as they got older. At least their parents wouldn't object, since they were both purebloods.

The room was filled with the sound of bubbling and the scratching of quills, something that was almost calming. It was something that he usually didn't hear during his potions classes, with idiotic first-years, Gryffindors, and Hufflepuffs making a mess of everything, and of course, there was the constant danger that if they placed the wrong item in, or threw something in at the wrong time, the potion would end disastrously. He was glad that Fleming was a good enough student that those sort of things wouldn't happen easily, giving him the chance to relax even a little.

But it seems that wouldn't happen for long.

It was only because of years of training that Severus didn't look up immediately from his potion when the door to his classroom creaked open. Instead, he finished up the potion, stirring it the necessary number of times and waving his wand over it, letting a small part of his magic completing it. He then removed the cauldron from the fire, bottling it up in a number of glass vials before he finally looked up. And Severus almost groaned as he found who was at the front of his desk.

"What do you want?" he asked in a snap.

The smile the girl sent him was almost blinding in the dim classroom. "I wanted to see ya," she said honestly. "So Mad'm Poppy brought me here."

Glancing at the door, Severus sent a glare at the nurse as she sent a knowing look his way before closing the door. Damn. Now he was being forced to play babysitter. That just ruined his day.

"Professor, who is this?" asked Hammond, her eyes narrowed in observation. As Fleming finished his potion, he seemed to be asking the same question silently as he glanced at the girl. Said girl seemed to notice their stares, and started to shrink.

"This is our guest," Severus said without giving up too much information. "The one I mentioned earlier."

"Oh." Now understanding, Hammond smiled gently at the young girl. She was always the best with the younger Slytherin students, which was why she was made Prefect. "Hi, I'm Alice. Whats your name, dear?"

"Don't know," the girl muttered, inching her way to Severus. "Don't 'member."

"She has lost her memory," said Severus in explanation when Hammond sent him a questioning look, while the girl finally rushed behind him to hide, clinging to his dark robes. "She remembers nothing, not even her own name."

"That's terrible," said Hammond after a moment, shaking her head in sympathy. "Poor thing."

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes - for it seemed another had fallen for the girl - Severus looked down at the girl. "Let go of me, child."

Slowly letting go of his robes, the girl peered up at the cauldron. "What'cha doin'?" she asked, sniffing the air and wrinkling her nose. "Smell's funny."

"That's a potion," Fleming informed her when it seemed Severus wasn't going to. "It can be used for a variety of things - medicine, poison, and a magical enhancer that will temporarily boost strength, speed, and so on. This one in particular is to help with pain."

"Wicked," said the girl with a grin, standing on her toes as she tried to see the Pain Reliever Potion.

"Language," growled Severus.

"Sorry, sir," the girl said almost instantly. "Are you gonna make more? I wanna see how ya make it!"

"Children should not be around brewing potions, especially when they are prone to magical outburst," said Severus. "Its dangerous. So the answer to your question is no, at least while you're around."

If the girl had long ears - maybe like a rabbit - he could imagine them drooping in sadness as her face fell. But Severus was determined to hold his ground, for he wouldn't let her get to him like she did with others. "So, you want me ta leave?" she muttered. "Okay."

"... If you can manage to keep quiet, and keep your magic in check, you can sit at one of the desk," Severus grumbled a moment later. He could resist seeing her sad - it was reminding him to much of Lily. Merlin's balls, she just had to have _her_ eyes.

"I'll be good, promise!" said the girl with a few rapid nods. She raced to the nearest desk and sat at attention, her hands folded on top of the desk. She looked more excited then most of his first year students.

"Mr. Fleming, let us switch to the Healing Sleep Potion," said Severus with a nod to Fleming. "It's a potion I'm sure will be on the N.E.W.T. test, and you need practice in it. Go gather the ingredients, enough for two."

"Yes, Professor," said Fleming with a nod before marching off to the nearby supply cupboard, the clinking of glass telling Severus he was pulling out ingredients.

"What does that potion do?" asked the girl predictably.

"It forces the drinker into a deep sleep, then it gives his or her magic a boost so it has a chance to come forward and heal whatever is wrong with that person," Severus explained as he cleaned out what he could out of his cauldron with a wave of his wand before calling forth a new one. "Much like a coma."

Nodding in understanding, the girl watched as Fleming returned with the ingredients, and Severus slowly started to ignore the girl as he started the potion, which would take a few hours. It wasn't a difficult potion for him, but it was for his student, though thankful, he only had to speak to him a few times, reminding him of something or asking a question about the potion.

When he did manage to glance up, Severus wasn't surprised to see Hammond talking with the girl, pointing something out on a piece of paper. He wondered vaguely if the girl had drawn something again, but his attention was soon taken by the potion again.

"Now stir three times clockwise, three times counter-clockwise, good, and finally, wave your wand over it," Severus instructed Fleming, who was finishing his own potion, which was the perfect color, a pale purple that had hints of blue. "Excellent work, Mr. Fleming. I believe we can send this batch to St. Mungo's."

At that, Fleming was beaming, and for good reason. Severus rarely sent his students finished potions to the wizarding hospital. But he also believed that Fleming would become a great Potioneer someday, and hoped this would push him to do even better.

"So, lion, eagle, badger, and snake are all ma-mascots?" Severus heard the girl say slowly. He looked up to see her frowning in concentration.

"That's right," said Hammond with a smile that he could even hear. "Good job. We've been going over the different Houses, sir," she informed her Head before she glanced back at the girl, who was staring at the paper in front of her, which had the animals drawn out on them. "Which House do you like best, sweetie?"

"...Maybe the lion," said the girl after a moment. "Cause brave people suppose to come from there, right? Wish I could be brave like that."

Severus sneered, he had guess she would pick that House.

"But the snake must be nice, right?" the girl said after a moment. "Cause you and Mr. Sev'rus come from that house."

"Not all snakes," Hammond said slowly as Fleming came to her side, wrapping and arm around her shoulder. "But yes, it's a nice house. I wouldn't choose another." She smiled up at her boyfriend, who leaned down and gave her a gentle peck on the lips.

"It's lunch time," Fleming said in a mummer. "Ready to go down?"

At that, Hammond glanced at Severus, and he waved her off. "Go, Miss Hammond. I'll be taking the girl back to the infirmary." He gave her and Fleming a look. "I trust you both will not spread the story of our guest around?"

"Of course, sir," said Fleming with a nod, Hammond also nodding in agreement.

"Bye-bye, Alice," said the girl said, waving to the couple as they left the room, both waving back. "Do I really have ta go back, Mr. Sev'rus? Its boring in there."

"Yes, you will," said Severus firmly. "And I will have a talk with Madam Pomfrey to let her know that you are not to be taken to me whenever you feel like it. Now come along."

Giving a sad nod, the girl followed him as he swept up to the infirmary, not even going ten feet before she grabbed at his robes again, her tiny fingers wrapped tightly around the fabric. This time, he left her to cling to him as he led her back to her temporary home.

~o0o~

The supper that evening was calm, or at least compared to how it would be tomorrow. Finishing his meal quickly, Severus made his way back to his quarters, ready to have a quick drink before he broke in a new book that he had bought before the holidays started. But it seemed that wouldn't happen.

Just as his was pouring himself a glass of scotch, the voice of the Salazar Slytherin's portrait spoke out. "Severus, you have guests, so I suggest you put the alcohol away."

Groaning, Severus left the kitchen and marched into the living room. "Who is it?" he snapped out.

"The nurse and a young girl," Salazar informed him. "I believe the nurse is explaining to the girl how portraits can move and talk."

Now growling darkly, Severus nodded to the portrait to let them in as he ran a hand through his hair. Would the girl ever give him a moment's peace?

"Good evening, Severus," said Madam Pomfrey almost cheerfully as she came inside his room, the girl right behind her, looking around with wide eyes. "Glad that I caught you before you decided to head off to bed."

"What is it you want, Pomfrey?" Severus asked in a growl. "I don't have time to play babysitter, I'd rather get some sleep."

"Oh shush, Severus, you and I both know that you won't be going to bed for hours." Pomfrey 'tsked' unhappily. "Not a healthy habit, but I won't force you to change that anytime soon." Looking back to the girl, who was now staring up at the portrait of Salazar, she gave her a nod. "I need you to take care of her tonight," Pomfrey said, ignoring the glare she was getting, "and probably tomorrow, as well. I'm spending Christmas day with my family, and I'm leaving very early in the morning - won't be back till the twenty sixth."

"No," said Severus firmly, crossing his arms as he glared down at the short witch. "I'm not going to be a bloody nanny."

Crossing her own arms, Pomfrey gave her own glare, her brown eyes suddenly hard as ice. "Severus Tobias Snape," she said in her_ 'listen and obey or pay the price with your life'_ voice that she'd been using on students for years. "You will let this poor girl stay the night with you for tonight and tomorrow, and you will treat her as if she was your own Slytherin. That means with kindness, as much as you can muster, and understanding of her situation. Is that understood?"

"..." Nodding once, Severus hated how Pomfrey suddenly smiled brightly in success. Blasted woman. At least he had a guestroom, though Queenie would have to make it up. Some Slytherins slept there when they were going through a rough time.

"Excellent. Just call the house-elves if you need anything for her." Pomfrey turned to walk away, but paused for a moment. "Remember, Severus," she said softly. "You're not the only one who's had it rough." Reaching the door, she patted the girl on the shoulder, who jumped in surprise. "Behave for Professor Snape, dear. I'll see you in two days."

"M'kay. Bye," the girl said shyly while waving the nurse good-bye, the portrait swinging shut after she stepped through it.

"Meddling old woman," Severus growled. "Queenie!" he snapped out, and a moment later, a house-elf appeared in front of him. "I need the guestroom made up and a nightgown for her," he said, nodding towards the girl. "And get me a cup of your strongest tea." It wasn't like he was going to bed soon.

The house-elf disappeared with a squeak, probably sensing how angry he was quickly getting.

"How can they do that?" asked the girl, looking at the spot the house-elf had once been.

"Magic," Severus snapped out simply, and the girl - for once - winced. "Now listen here, it seems you're to be staying in my quarters tonight. You'll be sleeping in my guestroom that I'm having Queenie fix up. I don't want to hear a word out of you about how you don't want to stay in there. Too bad. You'll go to bed, and you'll stay in bed till the morning. Is that understood?"

"Yes," the girl whimpered. Tears were building up in her bright green eyes, but she quickly turned away, trying to get rid of them without him seeing. Only a moment later, though, she turned back, smiling brightly even though he could see tear streaks on her cheeks. "I understand, Mr. Sev'rus."

Two small pops interrupted Severus before he could say anything as Queenie and another house-elf appeared. "Here being your nightgown for your young guest, Master Severus," Queenie squeaked. She was his own personal house-elf, and had been since he arrived at Hogwarts. "And the guestroom be done in moment!"

"Excellent," Severus said. glancing at the girl, who had stepped away from him. He'd finally made the girl fear him, and now he felt bad about, though he most definitely wasn't going to show it. The other house-elf sat his tea down on the table next to his chair and disappeared with a bow.

"Is this for me?" the girl asked Queenie as she handed her the nightgown, and the house-elf nodded, ears flapping. "Thank you very much!" she said with a smile as she hugged the nightgown to her chest. "That's really nice of you!"

Queenie sniffed. "Misses is too kind to Queenie!" she said tearfully. Severus had long broken her habit of bursting into tears whenever he thanked her, but she still got teary sometimes.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" said the girl, trying to calm Queenie even though she didn't know what she did wrong. "I didn't mean to make you cry!"

That caused Queenie to cry even more, and the girl looked to Severus for help.

"Enough of that, Queenie," said Severus firmly. "Go back to the kitchens." He almost smirked in achievement when Queenie nodded once and disappeared with one final pop. "Now," he said, pointing to his bathroom, "go and wash your face and brush your teeth. There should be a spare toothbrush in the cup - take the white one. Change into your nightgown as well."

Nodding, the girl sprinted off and practically slammed the door shut before he could tell her not to run. Huffing, Severus took the cup of tea and marched to the kitchen, the tea could use some scotch.

When he came back a few minutes later, Severus wasn't surprised to see the girl back, sitting on the floor with her back against the second armchair and her knee's pulled up to her chest. She was staring into the fire, the light in her green eyes dancing with the flames. She looked up when she saw him come in, blinking in surprise.

"Go to bed," Severus ordered sharply as he sat down in his armchair, summoning the book he wanted with a flick of his wand.

"But I'm not tired," stated the girl.

"I don't care," growled Severus. "Go to bed," he repeated.

"...Can I look at one of your books?" the girl asked, pointing at his bookshelves. "Please? I'll be quiet, promise," she pleaded.

"Fine," snapped Severus. Anything to get her quiet. "Just pick a book from the lowest shelves." That's were he kept his first year school books and anything basic.

Practically glowing, the girl bounced over to the bookshelves, kneeing down so she could read the titles. Not even five seconds went by before she pulled out a book that Severus recognized as _Plants and Their Magical Uses_. Racing back to the armchair, she glanced at Severus, silently checking to see if he would protest before she scrambled up it, fidgeting for few moments before she laid her legs out in front of her so she could rest the book on her thighs. Her feet dangled over the side, not even near the ground. He didn't have to worry about her getting cold, she was close enough to the fire to stay warm. So with the hope that she'd keep her promise and stay quiet, Severus turned to his own book.

For awhile, the only sound was the crackle of the fire and the sound of pages turning. In fact, it went on for so long that Severus almost forgot about the girl. It wasn't until the clock struck midnight did he finally look up from his book, placing it to the side and standing up, rolling his neck to get rid of the kinks he'd gotten from reading for so long. He gave a small yawn, his jaw cracking, before he looked to see how his guest was doing.

Deep asleep, the girl's head was lolling off to the side, resting on the chairs arm. Her hands were still clinging to the book, which was still laying across her lap. Severus then decided he liked her better when she was asleep - much quieter.

Taking the book from her hands, Severus placed it on top of his own book before he glanced down at the girl. Madam Pomfrey would murder him if she ever found out he had let a child sleep in a chair all night. Huffing, he picked up the girl with ease, cradling her against his chest without even thinking about it.

"Mm..." The girl shifted in his arms, a frown on her face. For a moment, Severus wondered if she would wake up in his arms. He was rewarded a few moments later when she stayed asleep.

"Stupid girl," Severus grumbled to the girl as he carried her to his guest room, even though he knew she couldn't hear him. She should have just gone to bed, then he wouldn't have to do this.

Shifting the girl so he was holding her with one arm, Severus opened the guest room door. It was plan, with a bed and a nightstand as the only furniture. Queenie had changed the blankets and sheets, and had even given the room a quick cleaning. Pulling back the blankets, Severus gently laid the girl down, who almost instantly curled into a tight ball, her hair falling over her face.

With a sigh, Severus reached out, and pushed her hair back with his slender fingers. When he realized what he was doing though, he pulled back with a flinch, as if she had burned him. He had only done that once before - when Lily was still alive and he still had a silly crush on her.

Yanking the blanket over the girl, Severus got out of the room as quickly and as quietly as possible. He needed sleep. Now.

~o0o~

Familiar laughter filled the air. A young Lily, maybe seventeen, was dancing under a large tree, the multicolor leaves of fall drifting around her like snow. She was smiling brightly, and lifted her hands high in the air as she tried to catch one of the many leaves. "Come join me, Severus!" she called out to him. "Its fun!"

For a moment, Severus couldn't move. At seventeen, Lily had already broken her relationship with him, and spent most of her time with Potter and his gang. She had grown up, into a beautiful young woman that still had innocence in her eyes - who hadn't seen the horror of war, and had watched as her friends died around her, and who wasn't praying for her children's safety against a madman.

"Severus?" Lily was suddenly at his side, taking his hand as she looked up to him, worried. Her small hand fit in his perfectly, and when he looked down at her, confused, she smiled sweetly. "Don't be such stiff!" she said teasingly as she tried to drag him to the tree, whose leaves were still falling even though the tree remained full. "Come dance with me!"

"Lily..." Severus wasn't sure whether to enjoy the dream he was obviously in. He didn't deserve to spend even his dreams with her.

"Don't worry about it, Sev," said Lily, as if she could hear his thoughts. "Just enjoy the moment, okay?" She pulled him under the tree, and to Severus' disappointment, let go of his hand to twirl around.

And he did just that. Severus watched Lily for what seemed like hours as she enjoyed herself. He couldn't help but notice the red, orange, yellow, and brown leaves that rained on her. They never touched her for more then a moment before falling to the ground, to crunch under the always moving feet. Severus almost smiled. Autumn had always been Lily's favorite season, and it always reminded him of her.

Giggling, Lily kicked the leaves, sending them flying. "I haven't had that much fun in - what is it now, four years?" she said cheerful. "James always used to pile the leaves for me at home, and I jump into them." Then, she sighed heavily. "I bet Harry would love to do this." She looked to Severus, who hadn't moved at all. "How is Harry, Sev?"

Mouth going dry, Severus tried to clear his throat. "I... I don't know," he admitted. "I've never seen him." He had never checked in on the Boy-Who-Lived. Dumbledore had assured him that he was fine, hidden from those who might want to hurt him - like Death Eaters that might to get revenge for their fallen master.

Tears filled Lily's eyes. "My poor baby," she said as tears ran down her cheeks. "I tried to protect them, I did, Sev. But he was too strong. I barely had time to place the charms."

Charms? That wasn't right. Dumbledore had told him that Lily had protected Harry with her love for him, a mother's love, which was one of the strongest loves out there.

"And then.. he had to..." Bringing her hands up to hid her face, Lily sobbed. "And now he - he... he'll never be normal," she choked out.

Severus hesitated for a moment before he wrapped his arms around Lily, pulling her close. Even in his dreams she smelled of orange and ginger, the smell of her favorite shampoo. "I'm sorry, Lily," he said quietly. "I'm so sorry."

Suddenly, hands gripped at his robes, and Lily looked up at him, her eyes burning like bright green flames. "You have to help him, Severus." she said firmly, even as tears continued to run down her cheeks. "You've already been helping her, help him too. I can't let them fall into their hands."

"Wha-" Severus didn't understand. Who was she talking about?

"I tried so hard to keep her hidden, but they still found her." Shaking her head, red hair flying, Lily's grip on his robes tightened. "Promise me, Severus." The air was starting to get heavier, almost suffocating. "Promise me you take care of them! I know you promised before, but I need to hear it again!"

"Promise?" Severus whispered, his head spinning. What had he promised her?

"Please, I don't have much time left," Lily cried as the sky began to darken, the clouds turning dark gray. The leaves, now all black and gray, fell away, leaving the tree branches bare as the tree bark turned dark. "Just promise me you'll take care of them!"

"I-I promise!" forced out Severus "Whatever you want, Lily, I promise!"

Relief washed over Lily's face as blackness started appear at the edge of his vision. "Thank you, Severus. You don't know how much this means to me..."

~o0o~

Waking up with startled gasp, Severus woke up to see his bedroom ceiling. Groaning, he ran a hand through his now sweat soaked hair. "Lily, what do you want me to do?" he mumbled to the air. Who did Lily want him to protect? He didn't understand it.

Of course he was to protect her son, Harry. He had promised that years ago. But who else? And protect them from who? The Dark Lord was dead. There was no immediate danger in the young Potter's life.

Pushing the thoughts out of his mind, Severus decided to put that away for later. He reached for his wand and mumbled a _Tempus_ spell, bright red numbers telling him it was six 'o' clock. Not feeling like going back to sleep, Severus shoved his blankets aside.

It didn't take long for Severus to get dressed, and half an hour later, he knocked on the guest room door and opened the door part way. "Wake up," he called out. "I want you to get ready for breakfast."

No answer.

Frowning, Severus opened the door further. The bed was made and the nightgown was sitting folded at the end of it, probably the house-elves cleaning up after his guest. That left the question of where was his guest.

"Where are you, child?" growled Severus as he resisted the urge to slam the door shut. Instead, he decided that he need coffee - it was too early to function with out it. The smell of coffee was strong in the air, it seemed Queenie had brought him breakfast already.

"Please, Misses, this be not Misses' job!" Severus heard Queenie squeak from the kitchen. "Oh, Queenie shouldn'ta listened to Misses!"

"Its okay, Queenie, I know what I'm doin'!"

Wondering with brief horror what was going on in his kitchen, Severus quickly made his way over there, only to stop dead in his tracks when he reached the door.

"Good morning, Mr. Sev'rus!" said the girl cheerfully, still in her nightgown. She was standing on a stool that seemed to have placed in front of his stove, the one he never used, making coffee. Already on the table was two plates full of bacon, fried eggs and tomatoes, and toast. "And Merry Christmas!"

"What do you think you're doing, girl?" said Severus. "Get down from there - you'll hurt yourself."

"Queenie told Misses," the house-elf cried, twisting her ears, "but Misses wouldn't listen!"

"I'm okay," insisted the girl as she carefully climbed down. "I woke up earlier. But listen, Mr. Sev'rus!" she said excitedly as she rushed over to him. "Saint Nicholas came last night! And left you presents!" She grabbed his hand, tugging Severus back to the living room. "Come and look!"

"Foolish girl, there is no..." Severus felt an eye twitch coming as he looked over his living room, which he hadn't noticed before in his effort to find the girl. Standing in the corner of the room was a large fir tree, decorated with a number of simple round ornaments - red, gold, green - and even a few fairy lights that Severus had seen Flitwick make for the Grand Hall. Garland was strung about, holly and mistletoe hung along the roaring fireplace, and colorful looking blankets were sitting on the armchairs. Sitting underneath the tree was presents - one from each teacher was what he expected each year, but this year there was double the amount, probably for the girl, who was looking at the scene with wide eyes.

"Meddling old fool," Severus grumbled under his breathe. He was going to have more then a word with Dumbledore later.


	7. Presents: Part I

**Presents - Part I**

.

"Merry Christmas, Dudley!"

"Oh, Merry Christmas, my sweet Dudders. I hope you like the presents Saint Nicholas brought you!"

In the cupboard under the stairs, Harry tried to block out the sounds of his relatives as they opened presents and enjoyed this very special day. Without him. Again. For the last four years, he had silently endured this day and others like it in his "bedroom" while his family ignored him. Christmas, New Years Eve and New Years Day, Easter, Halloween, and Birthdays.

This was the first time he'd ever been forced to endure it without Holly though.

As Harry closed his eyes, tears rolled down his cheeks. It had been days since Holly disappeared. He had begged his Uncle to go and find her. But all he had earned was a few slaps for his effort. Uncle Vernon didn't care. For him, it was one less _freak_ to take care of.

But to Harry, this was his sister. Who had protected Harry from Uncle Vernon's harsh treatments. Who had given him her bits of what little food she had. Who held him when he had scary dreams. Who had promised to be with him. And now she was gone.

All he had left to remind him that Holly was here not that long ago was a thin book. She had taken it from the trashcan of one their neighbors when they didn't want it anymore. They couldn't read the words, but they still liked to look at the pictures.

The pretty pictures told the story of a girl that was hurt by her mommy and sisters, but an old lady with a stick came and sent her to a castle, where she met a prince and lived happily ever after.

_"One day, Harry, a lady will come and rescue us too!" said Holly with a determined whisper as they looked at the pictures in the dim light that came through the cracks in the door. "And we'll live in a castle and have pretty clothes, just like her!" she said as she pointed to the now smiling girl in the arms of her prince._

_"I don't wanna pretty dress," said Harry with a wrinkle of his nose. "I'm a boy! Boys don't wear dresses!"_

_"Then you can have the prince's clothes, 'kay?" Holly smiled. "You'll be a prince! Prince Harry!"_

_"That means you'll be a princess!" Harry said happily. "Princess Holly!"_

_"And we'll rule the land, and get rid of all the Uncle Vernon's and Aunt Petunia's!" declared Holly in a whisper that was soon accompanied by a giggle._

_"Don't forget the Dudley's!" put in Harry._

_Both laughed quietly in the dark until they heard a particularly loud snore from upstairs. They went silent instantly, but that night, they slept with smiles on their faces as they dreamt of balls, castles, and carriages made out of pumpkins.  
><em>

Reaching out to the shelves, Harry pulled the thin and dusty book out of its hiding place. He stared at the cover, which had the girl with a pretty dress climb into a large orange pumpkin that was being pulled by white horses. She had bright blond hair and warm blue eyes. Even though she didn't look a thing like Holly, Harry couldn't be but reminded of his sister.

Sniffling, Harry held it to his chest as he curled up, cold as usual since his thin blanket did not to protect him against the cold, and neither did his extra-large clothes.

"Where are you, Holly?" Harry whispered as the Dursleys laughed happily, probably without a thought about him or his sister. "Why did you leave me all alone?"

~o0o~

Severus gritted his teeth. He was going to kill Dumbledore.

Or at least take away his stash of sherbet lemons.

"Wow, Mr. Sev'rus!" said the girl with amazement as she stared at the many presents under the tree. "You must be real po-poa- you must have a lot a friends."

"I don't believe they are all for me," growled Severus. When the girl looked up at him, blinking in confusion, he pointed towards the presents. "I believe you will find more than a few presents addressed to you."

"Me?" squeaked the girl. She shook her head. "That's not right, sir. I don't know anyone here who would give me a present."

"Do you think I am mistaken?" Severus said lowly. "Or an idiot? There is no other person here that would receive those gifts."

Biting her lip, the girl pressed her index fingers together, and the firelight illuminated the tiny scars on her hands. "I'm sorry. But- its just... I've never gotten a present before..."

For a millisecond, Severus felt sorry for her. He remembered when he was young, and he barely gotten anything for Christmas. To not get anything at all... But then he snapped out of it and asked his next question in a sneering tone. "And how do you know that if you have no memories?"

Silent for a long moment, the girl finally shrugged. "I don't know," she muttered. "I just..." She glanced over at the presents. "I just know."

Huffing, Severus nudged his guest forward, who stumbled a little before looking up at him. "To prove to you that they are indeed your presents, go pick one out and tell me who its addressed to." That should solve his problems.

At that, the girl's face fell even more and she dropped her head, now staring at her feet. "I... I can't read," she mumbled.

Raising an eyebrow, Severus continued to look down at the girl. "And how did you read that book last night?" he asked.

Cheeks flushed, the girl shuffled her feet and clasped her hands behind her back, like most children did when they had been caught at something they weren't suppose to do. "I didn't," she muttered. "I just looked at the pictures."

That surprised Severus, even though he didn't show it. Most children had at least learned the basic's by her age - which he guessed was five or six. Sometimes earlier, depending on how much their parents taught them before then. "I see," said Severus a moment later.

"I know," the girl said softly as she kicked the floor with a bare foot - Severus briefly thought he should find some slippers for her. "You think I'm stupid."

"Strange, since I said no such thing," said Severus with a frown. "So how did you draw that conclusion?"

"'Cause," said the girl firmly. "That's what you think."

Seeing that he would not get a straight answer out of the girl, Severus crossed his arms and looked down at her with a look usually reserved for students that were doing something... well, stupid. "Fine. You're stupid. Now, does being called that make you feel any better?"

Not to his surprise, the girl looked up at him, shocked. But instead of crying, or even whimpering, she bit her lip, holding back something as she bowed her head again. "No, sir," she mumbled.

"Then since it did not make you feel any better, we will not be calling you 'stupid' again. Is that clear?" Severus didn't believe in name calling, unless there was a very good reason for it, but it made things worse that the girl was doing it to herself. If she continued like that, she would slowly tear her own self esteem apart.

The girl looked up, blinking in surprise, before she nodded.

"Good. Now, since you can not read _yet_, I will inform you which presents are yours." Sweeping forward and past the girl, he sat in his favorite chair, which happened to be only a few feet away from the tree. And he was sure that was no coincidence.

Severus raised an eyebrow when his guest didn't move a few long moments later. "Well? Come over here and hand me the first present."

"...What about breakfast?" asked the girl, looking back to the kitchen.

"Are you telling me you rather eat than open presents, which according to you, are your first presents?" said Severus with his eyebrow still raised. When the girl stayed silent, he sighed. "While the gesture is kind, we will eat after, in the Great Hall with the others, alright?"

It took a second, but the girl nodded again as she came forward. She knelt under the decorated tree and looked at each present carefully, her tongue sticking out of the corner of her mouth. Severus was starting to realize that she did that when she concentrated.

"Um, how about this one?" asked the girl as she lifted up a square present to him. It was dark red with golden snitches fluttering across it, a a large gold bow sitting on top. Not taking the present, Severus lifted up the tag attached to it. It was a little obvious who it was from.

_To: Hogwarts' Surprise Guest_

_From: Mr. Dum'be_

"Its for you," said Severus, pushing the box back. "From Headmaster Dumbledore."

Blinking in surprise, the girl stared at the present before carefully placing it on the ground. It took a second before she carefully started unwrapping the present, as if afraid she might break it if she went too fast. Severus rolled his eyes, but waited as placed the ribbon aside, then the paper next to it folded, and finally opened the box.

Her eyes went wide. "Wow!" she said in amazement. She reached inside with both hands and pulled out... a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavored Beans and a Sugar Quill. "There's so much candy in here! Mr. Dum'be sure is nice!"

Leaning over to look inside the box, Severus gave a small groan. Of course Dumbledore would give the child _candy_. A whole box of different candies from Honeydukes. Faintly, he wondered how the old man had managed to even get it, since Honeydukes and most other stories had been closed for the last few days.

"Is something the matter, Mr. Sev'rus?" said the girl softly. "Is there something wrong with the candy?" She then looked at said candy in her hands, and then slowly placed them back in the box, not showing any sadness as she did. "I should give 'em back, shouldn't I?"

Before Severus could stop himself, he placed a gentle hand on the girl's shoulder, who looked to him once she felt the touch. "That's not what I said," he said firmly. It seemed the girl liked to take her own interpretation of things. "I just question the Headmaster's choice. But you may keep the candy. Of course," he said sternly once he saw the girl smile, "you'll first have to promise not to eat any of it unless you ask me first."

"I promise!" said the girl with a wide grin. She dug a hand inside the box, and before Severus could tell her not to eat some now and ruin her appetite, she pulled out some candy and held it out to him. "You can have some too, Mr. Sev'rus."

At first, Severus wanted to protest - he usually didn't indulge in candy. But then he caught the name that was written on top in gold. Salt Water Taffy. It was his favorite, one of the few candies he actually enjoyed. And it seemed that he didn't have a choice anyway, for the girl threw it into his lap before turning back to the tree. "Next present!" she declared.

The next hour or so was spent unwrapping the presents under the tree. Severus received a pair of socks and a tin of sherbet lemons from Dumbledore, both which he gave to the girl. He received a smile and quiet thanks for that. A bottle of good and expensive wine from McGonagall. Homemade fudge from Hagrid that he would have to make sure was edible. New unbreakable vials from Pomfrey. A new scarf from Sprout (who actually was quite the knitter). A "good-luck" charm from Trelawney, which he promptly got rid of. And finally, a set of charmed quills that didn't drip from Flitwick.

The girl also got presents from all the professors. Besides the large amount of candy, she also got socks from Dumbledore that changed color. A spelled cloak and gloves from McGonagall that were resistant to rain. More homemade fudge from Hagrid _and_ the Weasley boy, Charlie (probably as thanks for sparing a Christmas Eve detention). A drawing pad with a case of crayons from Pomfrey along with a small amount of everyday clothes. A hand-knitted scarf and hat from Sprout. A pair of charmed boots that wouldn't get soaked from Flitwick. And another "good-luck" charm from Trelawney that he threw away before the girl could see it.

It seemed that all the professors had gotten together and decided to get her clothes, the girl having enough for at least a few days and for whenever she went outside into the snow. That would save him from looking around for clothes at least.

But despite that most of her presents were all clothes, the girl didn't seem to mind in the least. With each clothing item she received, she looked gleeful, and even put some of it on. By the time all the presents were open, with all the paper and bows set aside carefully, she looked strange, a still too skinny dressed in all outdoor clothing and still in her nightgown. "That was nice for all the pre-pra- other teachers to get me this stuff," said the girl as she wiggled her booted feet, currently bright pink socks just seen over their tops. "I wish that I'd gotten them some presents. That's what you do, right?"

"I'm sure all they will wish for is your gratitude," said Severus honestly. "But if you wish to thank them more, I believe maybe some homemade drawings will suffice."

Nodding in agreement, the girl looked over to the tree. "There's one more present left, Mr. Sev'rus."

"Is there?" said Severus ask he also turned to look. That was strange. There was no one he could think of that hadn't give him and the girl presents. He watched as the girl scrambled under the tree, emerging a few moments later with a scroll, wrapped with a green bow.

"It doesn't have any wrapping, or a tag," the girl said with a frown as she handed Severus the scroll.

Also frowning, the bow was slid off before Severus opened the scroll. He first notice that the ink smelled fresh, and it was written in fancy, but familiar script. As he read on, his eyes narrowed dangerously, and soon enough he snapped the scroll shut and stood up.

"I'll be back soon," Severus snapped out at the now shocked girl - who now seemed to be the source of all his problems.

"Kay... can I -"

"I don't care what you do," growled Severus before he marched to the portrait, which swung open without a command. "Just don't get into anything!" He didn't think he could be around her without making her cry at this point, so it was just best for her to stay in the room until he calmed down. And he couldn't do that till he had a word with that meddling old food Dumbledore. "Queenie!" he barked out.

"Yes, Master Severus!" squeaked Queenie as she appeared a moment later.

"Make sure she doesn't get into any trouble," Severus ordered before he marched out of the room, not even listening for her usual confirmation.

The walk to the Headmaster's office helped him calm down a bit, as it usually did, but he was still angry by the time he reached the stone gargoyle. He didn't even get time to snap out the password, for the guardian leaped aside just before he did. That meant Dumbledore was expecting him. And that did not make him feel any better.

"Merry Christmas, my boy," said Dumbledore cheerfully as Severus stepped into his office. "I see you received my present."

"Present my -"

"Severus! Language, please. Now why don't we sit down and talk about this?" With a wave of his wand, Dumbledore conjured Severus a more comfortable chair and motioned for him to sit down. "How about some tea, mm? Maybe peppermint?"

~o0o~

It was getting close to dinner time when the girl peered around the corner, making sure no unfamiliar one was around before stepping into the hallway. In her hands was a small stack of pictures that Queenie had help her make. She was trying to find Mr. Sev'rus, who hadn't been back since this morning.

But the only problem was, she had no idea where he was. Or where she was, for that matter. Queenie had given her directions to the Headmaster's office, where the house-elf said he probably was. But she had gotten lost after wandering around for a half hour.

She glanced up at portraits, wondering if any of them could tell her where she was. Or maybe how to find any of the other professors. She had made each of them a homemade picture! But she also want to see the snow! At least she was dressed warm since it was still chilly outside Mr. Sev'rus' rooms - wearing a pair of jeans, a black turtleneck, and all the outdoor wear she'd received. She was even wearing the color-changing socks, which were now a neon green.

"Excuse me," the girl called out. "Could one of you please tell me -?"

"Want to go play in the snow, girly?" said a nearby portrait of an old woman, dressed in strange clothing. "Too cold if you ask me," she said with a sniff.

"But I didn't ask you that," said the girl with a tilt of her head. "I just wanted to know -"

"Well, I never!" screeched the woman, turning on her heel and marching out of the portrait. The girl blinked. All she had wanted to do was ask how to find one of the professors. It looked like this was going to be harder then she thought.

"Hey, its you!"

Turning towards the voice, it took the girl a moment to recognize the boy running at her. It was the red-head from before - when Mr. Sev'rus tried to give those boys detention after finding her hiding in the cupboard. He was being followed by an older boy and girl. Suddenly very nervous, the girl tried to back away.

"I wondered when I'd see you again," said the red-head with a grin. "I don't know if you remember me, but you saved me and my brother's butts the other night. My name's Charlie, Charlie Weasley. Did you get the present I sent you?"

"Yes, thank you very much," said the girl in a mumble.

"Well hello again," said another boy with a grin. He looked a lot like Charlie, but older by at least two years. "The name's Bill, I'm Charlie's older brother. What's your name, little lady?"

Shrinking, the girl bit her lip and shook her head.

"What's wrong, deary?" asked the girl as she reached her, looking down at her with a small frown. She was older than both the boys, with short and choppy dark black hair and light brown eyes that looked warm, like melted chocolate. "Are you alright? They aren't hurtin' you, are they?"

"I don't 'member," forced out the girl softly. "I don't 'member my name."

The older girl nodded in understanding. "Ah. My aunt told me about you and your... situation." She smiled gently. "My name's Robin McGonagall. Where are you trying to go, missy?" she asked. She had a accent that sounded... hearty. Warm.

"Tryin' to find the other p'fessors," answer the girl shyly. "I-I have a drawin' for them. Oh!" She started shifting through her pictures, and held one out to Charlie. "I made one for you, too!"

Blinking in surprise, Charlie took the card. She had carefully drawn out a cartoonish Mr. Dragon, who was smiling up from the paper as he held a tin of what was suppose to be fudge. And with the help of Mr. Sev'rus' house-elf, Queenie, she had written the words _'Thank You' _at the top, though it was very sloppy.

"Let me see!" Bill looked over his brother's shoulder. "Hey, that's not bad!"

"Wow! This is really good!" Charlie grinned down at her. "Thanks! How did you know I liked dragons?"

"I didn't," said the girl with a shake of her head. "That's Mr. Dragon - Mr. Dum'be gave him to me when I first came here."

All three of the students stared at her. "Mr. Dum'be?" asked the three in unison. Then Bill gave a lot snort.

"Oh man, that's priceless," Bill said as he started to laugh. At his side, Charlie had his hand over his mouth as he tried to silence his own laughs. Confused, the girl titled her head. What was so funny?

"Well," said Robin as she tried not to laugh aloud, "if you want, we'll take you to the Great Hall. The professors should all be there since it almost dinner time."

"Um actually, there's somewhere I want to go first..."

~o0o~

"I can not seriously believe you're asking my to do this, Albus," groaned Severus as he pinched the bridge of his nose between his long fingers. "Me. Of all people."

"Is it so hard to believe that you are the one I think suited best for the job?" asked Dumbledore with a chuckle.

Groaning again, Severus took a long sip of the tea he had been given, wishing that it was firewhiskey instead. "I still don't believe I am the right person to be asking. Me? Take care of a child? What are you thinking?" He knew, somehow, that he'd be forced into this. Ever since he read the scroll that Dumbledore had sent him. Telling him that he was being offered the change to become the brat's guardian until her real ones were found. And, if they weren't found within the next year, he would be able to adopt the girl. Why the old man had thought he'd want that, he didn't know. He concluded that Dumbledore must be out of his mind. Again.

"You take care of your Slytherins," pointed out Dumbledore. "And I haven't heard any of them complain. Besides, she trusts you."

"For some reason I don't understand," grumbled Severus.

"Are you saying no then?"

"... What would happen to the girl if I did?" asked Severus instead. "Placed in the care of the Ministry?"

Sighing, Dumbledore steeped his fingers and leaned back. "My best guess? We'd have to send her to a Muggle orphanage until her parents are located. If they are ever located."

Severus narrowed his eyes. Dumbledore was still trying to convince him, but damn it all, it was working. Once the Muggle children got a whiff of her being abnormal, they would harass her everyday until she was either adopted, unlikely, her parents were found, also unlikely, or until she was sent to Hogwarts. But even then, she would have to be sent back every summer.

"What about a foster wizarding family?" Severus suggested.

"They're aren't that many that would want to taken in a possible Muggleborn child," said Dumbledore sadly. "Less that I can trust. In fact, the only two I can think of are the Weasleys and Madam Longbottom. The Weasleys have enough children, though, and I'm sure Madam Longbottom would rather focus on her own grandson."

"You really are leaving me no choice, are you?" snapped Severus. "You're telling me the choices are that the girl is to be sent to a horrible Muggle orphanage or signed over to me?" It was these times that he understood the Dark Lord. Muggles hated and feared what they couldn't understand, hence the Salem Witch Trails, and the abuse Muggleborn children had to endure. If it was up to him, he would take the Muggleborn children away from their Muggle families if he felt they were in danger.

But no matter how many times he brought that suggestion to Dumbledore, the Headmaster brushed it off.

"I believe that's what I'm telling you, yes," said the same man with a grandfatherly smile and twinkle in his eyes. That look had won over many. But not Severus.

Still...

"And the Ministry approves of a former Death Eater taking in a child?" growled Severus.

"They approve of Hogwarts Potions Professor taking in a young girl who clearly needs help," said Dumbledore. "Please, Severus. I beg of you. She has no one. And she trusts you."

Huffing, Severus pinched the bridge of his nose again. "I don't know," he said after a moment. "You'll have to give me some time to think about it."

"It's a start, I suppose. Now, on to the next matter -"

"I am _not_ helping her do _that,_" snapped out Severus.

"Now really, Severus. It's just a name," said Dumbledore soothingly. "I'm sure she would like to be called something, even if it is only temporary. For the last three days, she's been only referred to as 'the girl'."

"She can pick her own name," argued Severus.

Dumbledore was going to say something, but he paused and looked passed Severus and to the door. "Its seems we have company," he said after a moment.

_'Knock, knock.'_

"Come in!"

The door creaked open, and Robin McGonagall poked her head in. "Sorry to disturb you, sir," she said, nodding politely to both. "But I found, err, the young girl Aunt Minerva told me about wandering the halls, looking for you, Professor Snape."

"Mr. Sev'rus!" The girl they were talking about moments ago came running into the room, launching herself at Severus and attaching herself to his legs as she clung to him tightly. "I looked _all_ over for ya. This castle is so big! And I tried to ask for di-de- for help, but some lady in a picture was mean to me. I didn't know picture ladies could be mean. Oh, and I had breakfast with Queenie! She said my food was good!"

Chuckling, Dumbledore nodded at Robin. "Thank you for bringing her to us, Miss McGonagall."

"Not a problem, sir," said Robin with a smile. "I was glad to. She's a very sweet girl." She raised a hand and waved towards the girl. "I'll see you later, honey!"

"Bye-bye, Rob'n!" the girl said as she paused in her rant, waving shyly at the younger McGonagall. "Thank you for helpin' me!"

"What are you doing here, child?" growled Severus as Robin shut the door. "I believe that I instructed Queenie to keep you in my quarters."

The girl shook her head. "Nuh uh. You told Queenie to make sure I didn't get in no trouble. So I promised that I wouldn't get in any while looked for ya. And I didn't!"

Severus narrowed his eyes. That was a Slytherin answer. He wasn't sure whether to be proud or get after the girl for using it against him. Still, he would have to have a talk with her about twisting his orders later.

"Oh, here ya go, Mr. Dum'be!" said the girl as she let go of his legs so she could place something on his desk, but returned a moment later. "That's for you!"

"Why, thank you, my dear," said Dumbledore as he held up what looked like a drawing of a dragon, with the words _'Thank you' _scrawled sloppily across the top. "I do believe that is the toy I gave you."

"Uh huh," said the girl with a nod of her head. "That's Mr. Dragon!" She looked up to Severus. "Are we gonna go to dinner soon?"

"No, we have to go back to the rooms first," said Severus, somehow standing even though the girl was still clinging to his legs. "We have something to talk about, something important."

And for the first time, the girl looked at him with fear in her eyes.


	8. Presents: Part II

**Presents - Part II**

.

"Sit down."

Nodding shyly, the girl scrambled into the chair she had fallen asleep in the night before, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. As Severus sat in his own chair, he took a moment to look her over. It had only been a few days since she was found outside of Hogwarts, and of course she hadn't changed drastically over night. The more obvious bruises had faded away thanks to creams provided by Madam Pomfrey, he noticed. But she was still too pale, and far too skinny for her own good. Severus mentally reminded himself to make sure she drank her nutrition potions with each meal, and that he would have to take her outside soon. And her badly cut hair needed a trimming. In fact, the only improvement he saw in her that there was a little more color in her cheeks and how her green eyes had gotten brighter and clearer.

Why would anyone let him take care of such a child? One that would need certain care that he might not be able to give.

Groaning, Severus pinched the bridge of his nose. While he certainly felt old at times, thanks to old wounds from both physical and mental attacks, he certainly didn't feel old enough to be a parent, even if it was only temporary. He was only twenty-seven, for the love of Merlin! That was rather young in wizarding years. And yet Dumbledore was practically forcing him to become this girl's temporary father...

How could the Ministry even approve that? He knew what they thought about him. After all, he was a former Death Eater, and they didn't care that he had changed sides long before the Dark Lord was defeated. They ignored the fact that he never participated in the rapes, or the torture, and if he was forced to kill, he made it as quick and as painless as possible. To them it was once a Death Eater, always a Death Eater. One that had quickly rose through the ranks and had made potions for the Dark Lord at his beck and call.

There was other things that made him hesitate. Like how Lucius would feel about him adopting a possible Muggleborn or Halfblood. His best friend had been forced into the Death Eaters by his father, and had even tried to convince Severus not to join, though obviously he ignored him. Dumbledore couldn't make him a spy like he done to Severus, but he did use him for finding out things that the spy couldn't find on his own. And because of that, Lucius, his wife, Narcissa, and their baby Draco were spared, though the public was told that he was under the Imperius Curse.

But even though he was not a Death Eater, and was one of the many happy with the Dark Lord's death, Lucius and his family did not like Muggleborns, and even some half-bloods. And it was clear that the girl could be either one of them. It wasn't even as if he could hide her, he had a meal with him every week. He really didn't want to know what Lucius would think of this girl... if he decided to take her in, of course.

"Mr. Sev'rus?" The girl was looking at him with a tilt of her head, though the fear was still in her eyes. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," growled Severus, and berated himself when the girl shrank back. He took a deep breath, and placed his hands in his lap. "I must apologize for my behavior. Things of late have been... overwhelming. But I don't want to talk to you about that. Headmaster Dumbledore and I had a talk. It seems until the Ministry finds your parents, or guardians, you're to stay here at Hogwarts."

"Really?" said the girl, perking up. She really did remind him of a rabbit sometimes.

"Yes," stated Severus. "And until we find out your parents, and in turn, your identity, I'm to... to help you pick out a name that you'd like to go by."

"A name?" said the girl slowly. "I get to pick my own name?"

Nodding, Severus snapped his fingers. "Queenie!"

There was a 'pop' and Queenie was bowing to him. "Yes, Master Severus?"

"I believe there is a baby name book in the library, fetch it for me, please. Also, a plate of biscuits." It would have to keep her hunger at bay till dinner time.

"Right away, Master Severus!" squeaked Queenie.

"We will go through the book and pick out a name that you like," Severus informed the girl as Queenie disappeared. "Hopefully, it won't take too long, so we can go to dinner after we're done."

"But I can't read," the girl reminded him in a embarrassed mumble.

Taking a deep breath so as not to snap, Severus then said, "Then I'll read it to you." He almost hated how the girl smiled at him, a mixture of shyness and appreciation. Almost.

"Here you is, Master Severus!" squeaked Queenie proudly when she returned a minute later, the plate of biscuits and book floating above her head landing gently on the nearby table. "If yous be needing anything else, just call on Queenie!" Then she disappeared with another 'pop'.

Grabbing up the book, Severus almost grimaced at the title, _Magical Names for Your Magical Baby Girl_. Really, who would pick such a ridiculous name? But before he could even crack it open, there was a tug on his robes. When he look down, he found the girl staring up at him, forcing out a question before he even opened his mouth. "Can I sit up there with you?" she asked in a rushed mumble that Severus barely understood, glancing away immediately after and biting her lower lip as she waited for an answer.

Raising an eyebrow, Severus glanced at his chair. It wasn't a big chair, and he didn't have a couch. He would hate to transfigure it, after all, it was one of his favorites. Unless he wanted her to sit in his lap. But he never had a child that close to him before. It felt... unnatural to even think about it. And yet, he use to do it all the time.

_"Mumma, can I sit in your lap?"_

_"Of course sweetie," said his mother with a loving smile. Eileen Snape may have not been beautiful to others, but she was to the four year old Severus, even with the black and blue bruise on her left cheek that his father gave her last night. She patted her lap. "Come here, Severus."_

_Smiling, Severus went to his mother's side, holding up his arms while his mother picked him up gently by his underarms and plopped him into her lap. "Alright, my handsome boy," Eileen said as she tickled his sides, causing him to laugh. "What shall we read today?"_

_"I wanna finish the one from yesta'day!" proclaimed Severus happily as he snuggled next to his mother, leaning his head against her shoulder._

_"Alright then," said Eileen as she reached to the side, picking up the book and flipping it to the bookmarked page. She cleared her voice before starting in a different voice, one much deeper then her usual voice._

_"Here we are, Mrs. Beaver," said Mr. Beaver, I've found them all. Here are the Sons and Daughters of Adam and Eve..."_

"Mr. Sev'rus?"

Snapping out of that memory, Severus closed his eyes briefly to erasing it from his mind before he glanced down at the girl, who must have been wondering why he hadn't said anything yet.

"If I must," Severus finally answered. Setting aside the book, he held out his hands, and as if she done it a thousand times, the girl lifted her arms up so he could pick her up, placing her in his lap gently. She barely weighed anything, he noticed. "There." But before he could take his hands back, the girl grabbed one, holding onto it with both her tiny hands.

On instinct, Severus stiffen.

Lowering her head, the girl seemed to be examining his hand, turning it slightly as she tried to look at it from all sides. "Your fingers are _long_," she said after a long moment. "Like spider legs!" she said with a giggle. "But they're all stained..."

From potions and ink and who knew what else. "Yes, I know, they're very ugly," snapped out Severus as he pulled his hand back.

"Nuh uh!" said the girl firmly, even shaking her head to emphasize her point. "I think they're neat!"

"Neat..." repeated Severus.

"Neat," said the girl again with a nod of her head. "Very neat." Before Severus could get out another word about the matter, she reached over him, and after making sure it was alright, grabbed a biscuit. "Come on, Mr. Sev'rus! I wanna find a name!"

Sighing, Severus plunked the book out of her hands and flipped it to a random page. "Don't get crumbs on me," he said as she nibbled on the chocolate biscuit. He narrowed his eyes at some of the names. "Jackie, ugh, that sounds like a boys name. Jacqueline. Jada. Jade. Why someone would want to be named after a rock, no matter how _pretty _it is, I have no idea. Jaden. Jean. Jamie. Another boy name. Jala. Jameson... that sounds like a butlers name."

The girl giggled at his comments.

"Any?" Severus asked, and was answered with a shake of the head. "Fine." He flipped to another page. "Gabriella. Mm, that might suit you. Gaea. Gail. Gayla. Gemma. Ugh, another stone. Genvieve. Georgetta. Gertrude. Sounds like the name of an old woman... Anything?"

Another shake of the head.

"I thought so." More flipping. "Levana. Lexus - no on that, I'm sure that's some foreign Muggle automobile. Leyna. Liana. Libby. Lilac. Lilith." Severus took a moment to swallow so he could ease the sudden dryness in his mouth before he spoke the next name on the list. "Lily..."

"That's a pretty name," said the girl softly when he didn't go on, finished with the dessert. After a long moment of silence, she gently took the book away and flipped to almost the beginning. Not even glancing at the names, she pressed a finger to the page. "What's that one say?"

Blinking, Severus looked down. "It says Abby."

"Mm... I like it." The girl decided instantly. "Can that be my name?"

It seemed she didn't even want to look through the other names, which was fine by him. If she wanted to pick a random name without care, he wasn't going to stop her. But still, Severus gave a little snort. "That will not do, it is a nickname."

"For what?"

"Abagail."

"Oh... well, can't you just call me Abby?"

"You have to have a _full _name." Severus huffed.

"Why?" the girl asked.

"It's the rules," answered Severus firmly, hoping to get it through to her. When the girl started to frown, he sighed, hating that he was about to admit defeat. "I suppose we can put down Abagail as your official name, but may have others call you Abby if that's what you want."

"So... my name's Abby now?"

"Yes, I suppose," Severus said with a shrug.

The newly named Abagail smiled brightly, and without warning, lunged forward and wrapped her arms around his neck. Severus stiffed as the girl attempted to strangle him. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, Mr. Sev'rus!" said the girl - Abby - happily, jumping up and down on him like he was a mattress. "This is my best Christmas ever!"

Grunting in slight pain, Severus pulled the girl away from his neck, siting her in his lap again. "How do you know if you don't remember anything before you arrived here?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

The smile sent his way was practically blinding. "How can it get better this?" replied Abby.

~o0o~

"Wow!" The girl - Abby - said as she entered the Great Hall for the first time, looking around in amazement. It did look rather spectacular, Severus had to admit. Festoons of holly and mistletoe hung all around the walls, snow drifted from the ceiling, though it never touched the tables, and no less than twelve towering Christmas trees stood around the room; some sparkling with tiny icicles, some glittering with hundreds of candles, and others had golden bubbles that shone like miniature suns.

And then there was the tables. Fat, roasted turkeys, mountains of roasted, mashed, and boiled potatoes, platters of chipolatas and tureens of buttered peas and corn, baskets of warm bread, silver boats filled with thick and rich gravy, and bowls of cranberry sauce covered each of the tables. The smell alone was almost overwhelming. There were also stacks of wizard crackers every few feet along the table, these party favors nothing like the feeble Muggle ones Severus remembering his father bringing home...

"Does it always look like this?" asked Abby as she continued to look around, her head twisting round and round as she did, but still managing to hold onto his robes and the drawings she had yet to give out.

"No. Since it is a holiday, the Headmaster has allowed it to be decorated," answered Severus. "It will go down after New Years."

"Aww... But I guess it wouldn't look so pretty if it was up there all the time," said Abby softly.

"Ah, my dear!" Dumbledore smiled as he approached Abby, who shyly smiled at the old wizard. He was dressed in dark blue robes with snowmen in pointed wizard hats dancing along the bottom. "Let me guess, you have picked out a name," he said knowingly.

"How'd ya know?" asked Abby in surprise, her eyes wide.

"Perhaps it was a lucky guess," said Dumbledore with a chuckle. "Now, tell me, what did you pick out?"

"Its Abby!" she answered with pink tinted cheeks. "But Mr. Sev'rus says that's a nickname, so my full name's Abagail! But I still wanna be called Abby, if that alright..."

"Its a lovely name," said Dumbledore said with a smile. "Why don't you tell you're new friends about it, Miss Abby," he said as he gestured towards the tables. "I'm sure they'll want to hear all about it."

"Can I, Mr. Sev'rus?" asked Abby, glancing up at him. When Severus nodded, she hesitated a moment before letting go of his robes and inching over to the nearest table, which was the Gryffindors. Almost immediately, Robin McGonagall spotted her and waved her over, and Abby shyly waved in return.

"I think she's attached to you," chuckled Dumbledore, ignoring the glare Severus sent his way. "Have you decided if you will take her in or not?"

"No, I have not," Severus growled. "How do you expect me to take care of a child, Dumbledore? I teach here, and have other students to look over! I have no time to watch over her. And she's a child that needs someone that will constantly be there until she stops fearing everyone she meets. Someone she trusts!"

"And she trusts you," pointed out Dumbledore. "Besides, I'm sure your house-elf - Queenie, wasn't it? - will be more than willing to watch over her sometimes. And since she was already doing so well with the older two of the Weasley family, I was also thinking of asking Molly Weasley to look over her sometimes, so she can meet some children her age. They have a son and daughter that are close to her in age, you know."

"Fascinating," drawled Severus. "Still, it's probably for the better that she live with someone other than me."

"... I know you don't hate her," said Dumbledore gently. "In fact, I think this is the closest I've seen you with anyone since Lily. So I don't see why you're so determined to push her away. What is it, Severus?" he asked when Severus didn't give an answer. "Are you afraid that you'll hurt her too?"

Looking to the Headmaster with his arms crossed defensively, Severus glared at the old man, who did nothing but look at him with... pity? "I have no reason to hurt the child," he hissed.

"Then what is it, my boy?" Dumbledore placed a hand on Severus' shoulder, ignoring how he stiffened at the touch. "Why won't you help her like you've helped so many of the other students in Slytherin?"

"I have never let a student stay in my quarters longer than a night," said Severus firmly. "And even that is only if the child really needs to stay with me."

"You don't think Abby really needs you?" said Dumbledore softly.

"Abagail warms up to almost anyone," answered Severus stiffly. "I'm sure over time, she will do well with anyone, someone who can care for her constantly."

"But she only trusts _you_," repeated Dumbledore. "Despite what people think, children do not give their trust easily. For Abby to trust you so easily and so blindly - that's not something that happens everyday. You hold a precious bird in your hands that could fly away and be hurt if you don't try and help it."

"And she's a fool for giving me that trust," snapped Severus.

After a long moment of studying, Dumbledore sighed. "Maybe, Severus, you need her more than she needs you."

"I doubt it," snorted Severus. "I've been alone most of my life - I don't have a void to fill, if that's what you think, and even if I did, certainly no child would fill it anyway."

"You would be surprised," said Dumbledore simply. Giving Severus a grandfatherly smile, he nodded towards the Gryffindor table. "Why don't you retrieve our guest and have her sit with us at the High Table - the other professors have been anxious to meet her."

"Hm." Still, Severus went towards the tables, calling out her full name. Abby looked to him with a bright smile and left her friends with a quick goodbye.

"Mr. Sev'rus!" Racing over to him, Abby was grinning at him from underneath a too large witch's hat, clutching at the sides so it wouldn't fall over her face. "Look what I got from Robin! It came out of a _really _tiny firecracker! Magic can do anything, huh?"

"I suppose," said Severus with a nod. Just because he wasn't sure if he wanted to take care of the child or not, it didn't mean he wasn't going to be unkind to her. Or at least he would try and be kind. "Now come along - the Headmaster wants you to join the him and the other professors at the High Table."

"M'kay." Abby grabbed at his robes again, holding the hat with one hand. "Are they gonna be nice?" she asked in a whisper as Severus lead her up.

"Undoubtedly," said Severus dryly. They would problem be _perky_. He shuddered inside.

"Welcome," said Dumbledore cheerfully to the pair as they joined them. "Severus, we've changed things around a bit. Just for now," he chuckled when Severus glared at him. "You'll sit here in between our ward and Minerva, taking Poppy's spot since she's gone for the day. I hope you don't mind?"

"Not at all," said Severus dryly.

"And how are you doing, Abby?" Dumbledore asked. "Enjoying the festivities?

Abby nodded shyly, her witch hat flopping as she suddenly got very quiet while she glanced around the table. Severus guessed it was because she wasn't use to being around so many new people.

"Everyone, may I introduce you to our newest resident, Miss Abagail," said Dumbledore to the rest of the table. "Or as she likes to be called, Abby. She'll being stay with us until further notice. Miss Abby, I don't believe you were ever introduced properly to Professor McGonagall. She's the Head of Gryffindor House."

"Nice to see you again, Abby," said McGonagall with a gentle smile, while Abby nodded and muttered hello.

"Then we have Professor Sprout, Head of Hufflepuff, and Professor Flitwick, Head of Ravenclaw." Both the professor smiled and nodded towards her. "And then we have Professor Trelawney, who teaches Divination, and Hagrid, our groundskeeper."

"Good ta see ya up and 'bout," said Hagrid kindly. "Was worried 'bout ya."

But in response, Abby shrank back, almost falling off her chair. Following her gaze, Severus was surprised to see Trelawney staring at her intently, her already large eyes enormous behind her glasses. He sharpened his gaze, and when she finally noticed his glare, she turned back to her meal, muttering under her breathe.

Only then did Abby relax, and finally forced out, "Nice to meet you all."

"Well, with introductions made, let's eat!" said Dumbledore cheerfully.

"Its a lot of food," whispered Abby to Severus, her eyes roaming over the many different dishes. In answer, Severus started to spoon food onto her plate - a small slice of turkey, a little mound mashed potatoes and gravy, a spoon full of buttered corn, and a biscuit. He could feel the gazes of the other professors, but ignored them.

"I expect you to eat at least half of that," Severus said firmly. "And a nutrition potion when you're done."

"Yes, Mr. Sev'rus!" said the girl before picking up her fork and stabbing her turkey with determination.

"That was very nice of you, Severus," said McGonagall at his other side, a sweet and knowing smile on her face that made Severus want to grimace. "I think the girl - I'm sorry, Abby, has been a good influence on you." Before he could snap out something it return, she went on, "Why don't you bring her by my room later on? I think Abby needs a little fixing up."

~o0o~

Severus spent the rest of his Christmas at the Malfoys after ordering Queenie to watch over the child - Abby, as she wanted to be called. He did not do well with the holidays, not with all the cheer and glee that everyone seemed to give off, but he did have a tradition of spending Christmas supper with them. It was one of the few times he got out anyway, for he was not a sociable creature after all, preferring to work then make merry.

So into talking with the older Malfoy's and spending time with his godchild though, Severus didn't even bother checking the time till he gave a suddenly yawn. When he realized that it was past midnight, he bid farewell and returned to Hogwarts by Apparition, the walk back to the castle enjoyable for once since it stopped snowing.

Hanging up his heavier cloak, Severus decided that his best check on his temporary ward before going to sleep himself. After all, he didn't need Pomfrey yelling at him for not making sure she went to sleep.

He didn't have to go far. Sleeping in the same chair they had sat in earlier was Abby, curled into a tight ball to keep herself warm since she had no blanket, no fire going, and was in her nightgown with no socks. Her newly cut hair, thanks to McGonagall, surrounded her head like a dark halo.

"Queenie," Severus called out, and with a pop, his house-elf arrived. "Why didn't you put Abagail in bed? Its past midnight."

"Queenie did, Master Severus," said Queenie, looking quite fearful because she might have did something wrong. "Queenie put Miss Abby in bed at eight, sir, before going back to the kitchens, sir!"

Narrowing his eyes, Severus marched over to the girl and shook her shoulder. "Wake up," he snapped.

Curling up tighter for a moment, Abby lifted her head and blinked sleepily. "Wha?" Rubbing her eyes, she yawned. "Hi, Mr. Sev'rus," she said sleepily.

"What are you doing out of bed?" asked Severus. "Its pasted midnight."

"Was waitin' for you," Abby mumbled, as she reached out with a hand, feeling around for something. Her head was falling forward again when she finally held up a piece of paper that was on the edge of the chair. "Wanted to say thank _- yawn - _you..." Closing her eyes, the child was asleep again in less then a few seconds, her hand dropping to the cushion and the paper floating to the ground. Glancing down as it landed at his feet, Severus picked it up.

It was a drawing, much like the drawings Abby had given the professors after dinner for their presents. But unlike the others, which held a crude drawing of her stuffed dragon holding whatever they gave her, this one was of him, his robes bellowing extravagantly behind him, with Abby's arms wrapped around him in a hug. _Thank you _was written across the top, probably with the help of Queenie since he doubted that she could spell, and her name was right below it as a signature.

"Miss Abby wanted to give it to Master Severus before going to bed," said Queenie with a nod, her ears flopping. "But Queenie knows how later yous stay at yours friends, sir, so Queenie told Miss Abby to give it to Master Severus in the morning."

"Mm. Thank you, Queenie, you can go back to the kitchen now." As his house-elf left with a pop, Severus studied the picture. He couldn't remember the last time he got a homemade gift from someone besides the other professors. Sure, some of his students gave him gifts - he had received a few after dinner - but they were all bought, and he wouldn't doubt that some of them were attempts of keeping him on their good side. He almost snorted at that - he didn't have a good side.

Placing the picture on the table after giving it another glance, Severus picked up the girl, who snuggled closer to him for warmth, shivering. Why did she continue to try and get close to him? He didn't want anyone that close to him. Not again. He didn't want her. He didn't want Dumbledore. He didn't anybody.

And yet... every time Abby smiled at him, an innocent smile that should never be directed at him, Severus could feel something. He wasn't sure what it was exactly, but he liked it sometimes, and other times he hated it with a passion. No. He couldn't let this girl stay with him. She deserved to stay with happier people. People that would care for her and make sure she got everything she needed, that would love her like he couldn't.

A few minutes later, after placing Abby in bed, Severus poured himself a finger of Firewhiskey and gulped it down. He was never the kind of person to care for a child like it was his own. He told Lily that. He told Dumbledore that. He told himself that. Taking care of the students of Slytherin, abused or not, was good enough.

Wasn't it?

Shaking his head, Severus poured himself another finger. Of course it was. He didn't need a wife. He didn't need children. He didn't need a family. He was a spy, a potions master, a teacher. All of those things kept him busy. He didn't need to add anything else to that list. Besides, the only person he ever wanted as a wife married another, had children and made her own family.

Finishing the drink in hand, Severus made his way to bed. And that night he had dreams of children dancing around him, girls with her red hair and green eyes, and boys with his black hair and black eyes. The only thing that made him feel better the next morning was the thought of a detention with the two Weasleys.


	9. Taken

**Taken**

.

Soon enough, the holidays were over, the students came back, and Abby was back in the infirmary again, spending her days with Madam Pomfrey. And Severus was happy for more than one reason - the girl was no longer staying in his rooms, and Dumbledore had yet to ask for his decision on temporarily becoming the child's guardian. Which was good, since he didn't know the answer yet. He couldn't even say it was no, even though he knew it was the best answer.

Even though Abby wasn't staying with him anymore, that didn't mean she didn't stop spending time with him. Yes, she did still visit all of her friends; the Gryffindors, Slytherins, and even Hagrid, but Abby still insisted on visiting him at least once a day. And it always varied. Sometimes it was before her bedtime. Sometimes it was during the detentions. And sometimes it was during his class.

Soon, the students of not only his House, but of others, had nicknamed her 'The Bat's Shadow'. They never said it when he was around, but of course, Severus had his ways of finding out.

Despite the fact that he should have, Severus didn't feel like stopping the visits. Because sometimes, it was quite enjoyable - having someone that didn't fear him because they want something from him, like Dumbledore did. Having someone that looked for him simply because they wanted to spend time with him. And though he wouldn't admit it, and would deny fiercely it if someone said it, he thought it was a bit like having child, a child that one day thought he would have with Lily. Before it all went to hell.

And besides, her visit were a way for him to examine her progress. All her wounds healed, her skin, hair, and eyes gained a more healthy shine as she steadily gained some weight, and her vocabulary, which was more like a three year old when she arrived, was also getting much better. She actually was starting to look and act her age.

"Hi, Mr. Severus!" said Abby cheerfully as she skipped into the almost empty classroom one Saturday afternoon, almost two and a half months after her arrival outside the gates of Hogwarts. She'd finally got over her habit of shorting his name, but she refused to call him anything else, much to his dismay.

"Walk, Abagail," Severus said without even looking up from marking his students' homework. "Does Madam Pomfrey know that you've walked off yet _again_?" he asked, even though he didn't need to. The nurse always knew when the girl walked off.

"Yup!" Rounding around the desk, Abby rested her forearms on the arms of the professors straight back on the chair and peered up at his work. "Why is it all covered in red ink?" she asked, nodding at the essay.

"Because my students are dunderheads," sneered Severus. The owner of this particular essay was a Gryffindor, who went by the name of Timothy Hunter, and was more of an idiot at potions than a normal Lion. He was immensely glad that in June, the boy would be finishing up his fifth year, and that he would never get the 'O' he needed to return for N.E.W.T. Potions. Then he would never teach another student like that again.

"Why are they dunderheads this time?" asked Abby with a tilt of her head. She didn't even question the term anymore, Severus said it often enough around her.

"Because most don't try to surely learn what I'm trying to teach them," Severus said coldly. "They think that Potions is a simple class that they can just breeze through. But in fact, it is a very complex and dangerous art that is not for the weak minded, and they foolishly mess around without any thought of the consequences. Thankful, my Slytherins know better than that." Most of the time anyway. And when they did, they underwent extra classes that made them think twice of doing anything like that again.

"Oh... Can you teach me something about Potions, Mr. Severus?" Abby asked suddenly, earning a questioning look from Severus.

"May I ask why?" said Severus with a raise of his eyebrow.

"Cause you make Potions sound really wicked," said Abby with a bright smile, and for once, Severus did not feel the urge to correct her language. "And I've seen you teach sometimes, and I want to try being your student for a day. Please?" she begged.

"You could simply wait until your first year at Hogwarts like a normal child," pointed out Severus.

"But that's years from now," whined Abby. "Pretty, pretty please?" she asked again, her eyes wide in an attempt at the puppy dog look that children were fond of.

Setting down his quill, Severus stared down at the girl. Why she was so interested in an art that most people found boring and too complicated, he didn't know. But who was he to deny it? If he didn't, he was sure she'd go off to some other teacher, one that didn't know what he or she was doing. "Fine," he said finally, and winced when Abby cheered. "We'll try a simple potion."

A few minutes later, Severus and Abby were standing at one of the desk, the girl standing on a stool since she wasn't tall enough yet, making Severus mentally note to check on her growth progress with Pomfrey. "We'll be trying a potion today that isn't particularly useful," he explained to the excited child. "But its one that's easy enough for almost anyone to do." Plus, there was no way the potion would harm her at any stage, even if her magic flared up.

Practically bouncing, Abby nodded on confirmation. "What should I do first, Mr. Severus?"

"First, we'll bring the water to a low boil," said Severus, using a spell to cause the flames under the small cauldron to rise. "Then while we wait for that, we need to crush this..."

As they got more and more into the potion, Severus noted that the girl actually became calm and serious, following his instructions to the best of her abilities. There were times he needed to help, and even a few times where she grimaced at some of the more disgusting parts, but none of that stopped her from trying. Her tongue was stuck out of the corner of her mouth most of the time in concentration, and she was a bit red in the cheeks from the heat of the flames, but even so, she never stopped smiling for long.

"Now, add in these slices of rainbow slug," said Severus as they were finally coming to a close. The rainbow slug wasn't a rare creature, but Abby treated the multicoloured slices as if they were gold while she carefully placed them in the currently pure white potion that had the look of a bubble bath. "Good, now stir it seven times clockwise," he instructed.

Counting softly under her breathe, Abby stirred the potion seven times with the silver stirrer. With each turn, a new colour was added to the potion; red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and finally, violet. With a tiny gasp, Abby went wide eyed as the bubbles each became a miniature rainbow. "Pretty," she breathed, watching it start to quickly bubble.

Severus couldn't help but nod. This was one of the first potions his own mother taught him, and even as a young boy that was suppose to hate everything pretty, he could not help but think how amazing this potion was, despite being so simple to make now that he was a grown man. "Now step down from the stool and watch."

Leaping down from her stool, Abby stepped back and watched with excitement as a bubble rose away from the potion, almost a miniature rainbow, and gently floated in the dark classroom. "Bubbles!" she squealed, bouncing up and down and clapping her hands as more and more bubbles rose into the air.

"You can even touch them," said Severus with a hidden smile. "Try. They do not break easily."

With a single finger, Abby poked the bubble, and giggled when it did not pop, but was merely pushed away. "Wow!" she said happily before she started her own self-decided mission of poking each bubble in the room. Severus leaned against the table and simply watched. He wasn't sure why, but he felt rather... warm in the once cold dungeons. He couldn't explain it. Was this how his mother felt when she watched him make his first potion? Or use magic for the first time?

Though he would never admit it, Severus wouldn't find feeling like this again.

A few minutes must have passed before an unnaturally loud 'pop' filled the air, snapping Severus out of his thoughts when it was followed with a 'splat'. "Abagail?" he said, glancing around for her.

"Oops..." The girl turned to him slowly, and Severus had to hold back a laugh, something that was not natural to him. With her hands held out in front of her as if she just started clapping, Abby was covered in something that resembled multicoloured paint, making her look as if a bucket of it had been thrown in her face. "I popped it," she admitted meekly, a bright blush barely appearing under a splatter of violet.

He couldn't help it. Throwing his head back, Severus laughed, a booming sound that echoed in the classroom. He laughed so hard that it started to hurt. He couldn't remember the last time he laughed like that, no, he could remember the last time he laughed at all.

"You have a nice laugh, Mr. Severus," said Abby with a bright green smile when he finally stopped. "Why don't you do it more?"

"It's not often I have something to laugh about," said Severus lowly, trying to compose himself. "Now come along, we'll have to take you back to Madam Pomfrey so she can give you a bath." Unfortunately, magic couldn't fix everything. Some things just had to be done the old fashion way.

He didn't see Abby's determined grin underneath all the colours. "Yes, Mr. Severus!"

Knocking on the infirmary door a few minutes later, Severus tried to ignore the giggle of students as they passed by, seeing Abby still covered in paint. He sneered at a few, but it was counteracted by Abby as she waved to everyone that even looked at them.

"Yes? Good Merlin, what happened to you, Abby?" asked Pomfrey as she opened the door. "Did someone dump buckets of paint on you?"

"Something like that," said Severus dryly. "Do not worry, Pomfrey, the paint should come off with a good scrubbing. I'll leave her to you."

"Bye, Mr. Severus!" said Abby with a wave of her orange covered hand. "Thanks for the potion lesson!"

Hesitantly, Severus gave a nod back, heading back to his lab to clean up the mess the splatter had caused. Or maybe he could get a Gryffindor to do it for detention later...

~o0o~

"Really, child, how in the world did you get this much paint in your hair?"

Shrugging, Abby endured it as Madam Pomfrey ran a comb through her partially dry hair, wincing when she hit a snag. "Sorry, Miss Poppy. Mr. Severus was just showing me how to make a potion."

"And he couldn't show you a potion that didn't turn you the colours of the rainbow?" said Pomfrey with a huff. "Really..."

There was a knock on the door, stopping Pomfrey before she could go on, and McGonagall stepped inside, giving the nurse a nod of apology. "Sorry for intruding, Poppy, but Albus would like to see Abby as soon as possible, please."

"Oh, thank you, Minerva. Dear, go get dressed," said Pomfrey, pushing her towards her temporary room. Nodding hesitantly, Abby stood up and shuffled into her room, glancing at the two older women before she shut the door behind her. Something about the look on McGonagall's felt ... wrong. But still, she slipped out of her bathrobe and got into her favorite outfit of a dark green t-shirt with a snake in the bottom left corner - courtesy of Alice - jeans, and black flats.

"Let me do your hair before you go, dear," said Pomfrey when Abby emerged a few minutes later, motioning for her to sit down again. She ran her fingers loosely through her hair before bringing forth a black headband that she pulled over her forehead. "There, that's much better." She gave Abby a quick hug from behind. "Remember to behave for the Headmaster, alright?"

"You're not coming with me?" asked Abby, turning to the nurse. She'd never meet the grandfatherly man alone before. At least Madam Pomfrey or Mr. Severus were with her.

"Not this time," said Pomfrey with a shake of her head. "Now you go along with Professor McGonagall, she'll take you to the Headmaster's office."

With a nod, Abby stood and went to McGonagall, who smiled at her gently before leading her down the hallways. The trip seemed to take forever for the young girl, even though it was only ten minutes at best before they reached a stone gargoyle, its face twisting into a smirk. If Abby wasn't so use to the strange things that happened due to magic, she might have run and hide. Instead, she simply gulped and took a step back.

"Butterbeer," said McGonagall after a moment, at that seemed to be what the gargoyle needed to hear, for it nodded and moved to the side, revealing a stairway. "Just go to the top, Abby, and knock on the door," the professor instructed. "The Headmaster should be waiting for you."

"Do you know what he wants to talk to me about?" asked Abby.

Pausing for a long moment, McGonagall shook her head. "I'm sorry, dear. That's between you and Dumbledore." She patted her shoulder, smiling at her again, before giving her a nudge to go up the stairs. Abby went up slowly, reaching an impressive set of doors, and after a long hesitant moment, knocked once, then twice.

"Ah, Abby." The door swung open. "Please come in, my girl, and take a seat. I'll be with you in a minute."

Nodding, Abby closed the door behind her, glancing around the office with wide eyes. It was the first time she'd been in the Headmaster's office, and she was slightly amazed by all the little treasures he had laying around. She could see that Dumbledore was kneeling in front of the fireplace, talking with someone in a low voice. She guessed it'd been a few minutes before he could speak with her. At least she knew now what he was doing - the first time she saw Mr. Severus with his head in the fireplace, she screamed and almost fainted.

She had just settled into a comfy looking chair that was across from the desk, when a red bird swooped over to her, landing on the arm and startling her. It was a pretty bird though, its feathers a mixture of red and gold, and it tiled its head so it could look at her. "Hi," she said in a whisper, slowly holding out her hand. In answer, the bird rubbed its head against it, cooing.

"I see Fawkes has decided to formally introduce himself," said Dumbledore as he sat at his desk. "This is Fawkes, Abby, a phoenix. "

"What's a phoenix?" asked Abby, gently stoking down Fawkes' head and neck, who continued to coo.

"A phoenix is a magical bird that can live for thousands of years by regeneration, who's songs can calm even the most angry person, and who's tears can heal just about anything. Plus, they are very rare and very intelligent." Dumbledore smiled. "I do believe Fawkes has become attached to you, my dear. He's the one that found you outside the gates."

"Oh." Abby smiled at Fawkes. "Thank you, Fawkes, for saving me."

Trilling, Fawkes rubbed her cheek, and with a flap of his wings, flew up to the stand nearby. Abby was slightly sad to see him go, even though he had only moved about ten feet away. He'd felt so warm, like a gentle fire. Like the fire she had in her belly...

Wait, when did she have a fire in her belly?

"Now, my dear, I've called you up here for a reason," said Dumbledore, interrupting her thoughts while he clasped his hands in front of him. "You've been here at Hogwarts for almost three months now, and yet, we have not found any information about your parents."

Bowing her head, Abby nodded. Really, she didn't care if they found her parents or not. They obviously didn't like her, not if they beat her up so much that she forgot. And she was happy at Hogwarts, with Madam Pomfrey, Robin, the Weasley boys, Alice and Alex... and with Mr. Severus...

"Miss Thomson sent me a letter last night," Dumbledore went on. "The head of her department, the Special Victims Department, has decided that while they will continue to look for your parents, you can't stay at Hogwarts any longer."

"What?" cried Abby. What did he mean - she had to leave Hogwarts? Why?

"I'm sorry, my dear," said Dumbledore. "The department has decided to take you to a Muggle orphanage until your parents are found, which is apparently procedure in this type of situation. If not... if not you'll remain there until someone decided to adopt you or you return to Hogwarts for school."

"But I don't want to leave," said Abby with a few shakes of her head. "I love it here, Mr. Dumbledore, I don't want to leave." More then anything, she didn't want to leave. She truly did love it here.

"You don't have a choice, Abby," said Dumbledore gently. "And I can't stop them."

"Isn't there something you can do?" begged the young girl. "Please?"

"... I'm sorry, my dear," said Dumbledore. "There's nothing I can do. I wish I could adopt you myself. But the Ministry does not believe an old man like me is capable of taking care of a child your age. They want someone... younger."

Lip quivering, Abby gave a little sob, tears running down her cheeks. "But - But I don't want to leave my home," she cried, burying her face in her hands. She didn't know what her home was like before she lost her memory, but it couldn't have been anything like this. She actually felt happy here. Loved. Wanted.

A brush of warmth touched her shoulder, and leaning over the top of the chair, Fawkes rubbed the tear stained cheek as he sang sadly for Abby, who continued to cry. She was being taken away from her home. And Dumbledore could only watch them both with a lack of light in his blue eyes.

~o0o~

"Morning, Mr. Severus," said Abby quietly as she sat down for breakfast the morning after the paint incident. Severus looked down at her with a frown. She had never been that quiet with him before.

"Good morning, Abagail," Severus answered none the less, but gave Pomfrey a look, who returned with a sigh.

"We received some news last night that there's been no leads on her parents," said Pomfrey. "So Miss Thomson will be coming by to pick her up today and take her to a Muggle orphanage."

"Is that so?" said Severus with a raised eyebrow. That would explain why Abby was so sullen. "And how do you feel about that, Abagail?"

"I don't wanna go, Mr. Severus," said Abby with a shake of her head. "I like it here! Hogwarts is my home!"

Those words were almost identical to the words Severus' spoke when he was teen, after his mother died over the school year, and he begged Dumbledore to let him stay during the summer - he'd do anything! Of course, he'd been denied, and was forced to go home to his father. It had been one of the worst times of his life, and when he started to consider joining the Dark Lord.

"And I want to stay here with you, and Miss Poppy, and Robin!" Abby went on with a sniffle. "And everyone else! I don't want to leave! Please don't let them take me!"

"I know, darling," said Pomfrey comfortingly, patting her back gently. "But you don't have a choice. Even Dumbledore said so."

Lip trembling, Abby looked to Severus, who could only sigh. "I'm sorry. But if the Headmaster agreed, there's nothing I can do -"

A pain-filled cry escaped the young girl. "I thought you'd help me, Mr. Severus!" Abby said with a choked sob. "I-I hate you!" Pushing her chair back so hard that it fell to the floor with a clatter that silenced everyone for a moment, she raced out of the Great Hall. Everyone burst into a flurry of whispers as she left. Up at the High Table, Severus groaned. He wouldn't have wanted to hear that either.

"We knew it would happen eventually, Severus," said Pomfrey softly as she stood up, already moving to go after Abby. Down below, Severus could see Alice doing the same after a word with her boyfriend.

Yes, he did know it would happen. Eventually. But now that it was... Severus wasn't so sure he wanted it to.

When Dumbledore sat down a few minutes later, Severus wasted only a long moment before leaning over to the Headmaster and asking in a harsh whisper, "Is what Abagail says true? Is she really leaving for a Muggle orphanage this afternoon?"

"I'm afraid so," said Dumbledore with a nod.

"And there's nothing you can do?" It wasn't for his benefit, Severus told himself. It just was that more than one person would miss her, and he didn't want to hear them moan and whine about the loss of her.

"There is nothing _I _can do," slowly said Dumbledore, and the stressed word was not lost on Severus.

"So there is something that _someone _can do?"

The Headmaster turned to Severus, and there was no glint or sparkle in his eyes. "I already asked you to adopt Abby, even if it was only on a temporary bases. You never answered me. When the head of the Special Victims Department said she would be taken today, there was nothing I could say to stop him."

"So you're saying its my fault that Abagail is being sent to the orphanage," said Severus with a snap before he could stop himself, anger starting to boil. He was answered with a cold look that no person would ever want to see coming from Albus Dumbledore, who leaned closer and forced Severus to lean away.

"I didn't say it was your fault, Severus," said Dumbledore lowly. "I'm saying you had a chance - a chance to give Abby a loving home here with you, even if you don't think that's possible. And you've lost it."

~o0o~

Sitting on the edge of her bed, Abby sniffled loudly as she started at her swinging feet. She was suppose to be packing, but she didn't feel like it. How could she, when she knew that she wouldn't probably never return to Hogwarts? It felt like all her happiness had been sucked out of her in a single moment. Even Alice or Madam Pomfrey couldn't make her feel better.

"Come on, Abby," said Pomfrey gently. "Miss Thomson will be here to pick you up in less than an hour. You need to finish packing."

"I don't wanna go," mumbled Abby, her hands gripping the sheets tightly.

"I know, dear, but you don't have a choice," said the nurse sadly, "and you know that as well as I do. There's nothing we can do."

Biting her lips, which something she'd done many times in the last few hours, Abby nodded and leapt to the ground, reaching into the set of dressers Pomfrey had let her use during her stay and started pulling out clothes harshly before tossing them into the trunk nearby, the bottom lined with her drawing materials. It only took a few minutes to finish, and even though the inside of her trunk was now a mess, Abby scrambled back onto her bed, grabbed Mr. Dragon, and curled into a ball. "Done," she said bitterly.

Pomfrey sighed before going through the trunk, folding her clothes with magic, not even bothering to reprimand her. She knew how bad she felt. Watching her momentarily, Abby flopped to her side, burying her face in her pillows and letting her tears stain them. She might not remember anything before she came to Hogwarts, but she knew this had to be the worse day of her life.

A half hour later, Abby solemnly followed Pomfrey through Hogwarts' hallways for what would be the last time. She clutched Mr. Dragon tightly in her arms, the only thing now that helped her from bursting into tears, and wondered if she'd see Mr. Severus before she left. Probably not, since he was most likely mad for her yelling at him. But she wanted to tell him she was sorry for saying she hated him, since it was far from the truth...

They were just reaching the doors to wait for the Thomson lady to pick Abby up when more than one person called out her name, causing the small girl to turn back to the Great Hall, where she realized people where having lunch.

"I was afraid you were gone," said Charlie Weasley with a weak grin, his older brother trailing behind him. "Is it true you're leaving?" His smile turned into a frown when Abby nodded in confirmation. "I'm so sorry, Abby. I really wish you could stay."

"I do too..." said the young girl slowly.

"I'm going to miss you," said Charlie as he wrapped his arms around her. "But I'll ask my parents if I can come visit you, alright?"

"Don't forget me, brat," mumbled Bill with a slightly blush. "I'll come too."

"And me, too," said Robin as she suddenly appeared behind the Weasley boys, earning a yelp of surprise from Bill and a giggle from Abby. "I'll come and bring you some of the house-elves' goodies," she promised with a wink, even though her smile seemed forced.

"Oh, good, you haven't left yet," said Alice as she came running up, her boyfriend Alexander right behind her as she hugged Abby tightly. "I'm going to miss you so much, little one," she said tearfully. "You brought a light into the Slytherin House that we don't have often. Oh, I wish I was seventeen already and could adopt you myself and keep you here."

Placing a hand on his girlfriends shoulder, Alexander nodding in agreement.

Sniffling, Abby smiled weakly, and said her goodbyes to each of the students that had come to wish her goodbye, and even from some of the teachers as they came down from the High Table. But the one person she wanted the most never came.

The door eased open just as Abby was getting a tearful hug from Hagrid, and Thomson stepped inside. "Oh, I'm sorry, am I interrupting? I was just coming to get you..."

"Its quite alright, Miss Thomson," said Dumbledore with a nod of acknowledgment to her before looking down to Abby. "Ready to go, my dear?"

Not answering at first, she peered though the open Great Hall doors, and Abby could see Mr. Severus eating at the table, talking with the lady Defense teacher, who she never really met. It didn't seem like he was coming to say goodbye to her. "I guess," she said in a mumble as Hagrid placed her back on the floor.

As Thomson shrunk her trunk and placed it in her pocket, Abby turned to Alice. "Can you do something for me?" she asked quietly. When answered with a nod, she held out her stuffed toy. "Could you give him to Mr. Severus? And tell him I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say I hate him."

"Of course, sweetie," said Alice as she took Mr. Dragon, holding him as if he were fine china. "I promise to give it to him soon as possible."

A hand was suddenly placed on her shoulder. "Ready, honey?" asked Thomson, her smile bright, but unnerving. Still, Abby nodded and walked away with her, hugging herself tightly since Mr. Dragon was now gone. She glanced back as she was lead through the doors, trying to see Mr. Severus one last time but simple winced as they slammed shut in her face and the grip on her shoulder tightened.

"We're going to walk to the Apparition point, alright, honey?" said Thomson sweetly as she gently pushed her froward, down the path. Even though it had snow recently, someone had already cleared a path way to the gates, and Abby shivered against the cold wind, glad that she was wrapped in warm clothes. "Come on now."

"Is the orphanage nice, Miss Thomson?" asked Abby as they the gates, which opened for them with a creak.

"Oh yes, very nice," said Thomson cheerfully, so sweet it made Abby's teeth hurt. "Its so nice, you might not want to ever leave. Now grab my arm, and hold on tight.."

Doing as she was told, Abby glanced at Hogwarts, the castle covered in a light dusting of snow that glinted in the sunlight. "Bye, Mr. Severus," she whispered before both she and Thomson disappeared with a pop.

A few seconds later, Abby gagged as she appeared in what she assumed was the Muggle orphanage, bent over to hold back the urge to vomit as Thomson pulled her arm away from her. That was her first time doing something that, and frankly, she never wanted to do it again.

"Here we are!" said Thomson with more overly sweet cheerfulness as opened a door, and looking up, Abby blinked as she looked around. It was almost a pitch black room with only a few candles giving any light. In the corner was a few beds with even fewer blankets scattered about, and close to that was a small room with no door that must have been a bathroom, but that was it.

"Where are we?" asked Abby, her mind going into overdrive. Something wasn't right.

"Your new home, of course," said Thomson, like it was obvious, and with a shove, she pushed Abby away from her, who fell into the room with a cry of pain. "Enjoy, you little brat!" she spat. And slamming the door shut, she was gone.

"Wait - come back!" called out Abby in vain, scrambling up. "Come back!" She couldn't just leave her here! Where even was here? Panicking, she raced forward, feeling for the door she was just pushed through.

"Don't even bother. There's no way out of here."

Freezing, Abby slowly turned towards the voice, and was greeted by multiple pairs of eyes that glowed in the dim light. "Who...Who are you?" she asked in a fearful whisper.


	10. Betrayed

**Betrayed**

.

It'd been about a week since Abby, the temporary guest of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, had left to go stay in an orphanage. And as each day went by, the students of every year started to notice that the temper of one Professor Snape seemed to get worse, worse than even his usual horrible temper. He was snapping all the time, taking points off left and right, and even some of his best students were finding that he was grading much more harshly than usual. Even the Slytherins, thought to be his favorite, were not going through the week unscathed.

There was no question as to why.

A few other professors tried to calm him, but he simply snapped at each of them, even Dumbledore. He wasn't even sure why he was so angry, but it didn't mean that he wanted people commenting on it, trying to make him feel better. It just made him more furious.

Scowling, Severus swept through the hallways after a long day of teaching, not worrying about heading to dinner since he planned on having it in his rooms. The same room that had felt rather empty since the girl left. There were no more random visits, or cheerful smiles to greet him. Just a stuffed dragon that Miss Hammond had given to him after Abby left, sitting in the chair she always used to sit in when she looked over the flower books.

Sometimes, he swore the bloody thing was staring at him.

Grinding his teeth, Severus was about to enter his rooms when someone calling out his name stopped him. Turning towards the voice with a glare, he wasn't surprised to see Madam Pomfrey coming his way. She seemed to find him when he didn't want to be found, especially lately. "What?" he asked with a snap.

Ignoring the Potion Professor's attitude, Pomfrey announced, "I'm thinking of visiting Abby tomorrow, to see how she's adjusting. I was wonder if you'd like to come with me?"

"And why would I do that?" sneered Severus, even though it wasn't the first time he'd thought about seeing the girl again. Not that he would admit it aloud. Or any of the many memories of Abby that seemed to haunt him more than once a day, and that he was tempted to place them all in a Pensieve and be done with them.

A heavy sigh. "Fine, forget I asked," said Pomfrey with a shake of her head. "Before I go though, I just want to let you know - it's cowardly to run away from your problems. Face them, Severus, and at least say a proper goodbye." And then she turned on her heel and left.

It took a few moments for him to fully understand that before Severus glared at Pomfrey's retreating back before marching back into his rooms. Him? Cowardly? While he certainly was no Gryffindor, he certainly not a coward! He was once a spy, caught in a game of cat and mouse between two very powerful wizards, risking his life so that the Light side might win. How dare she? And what was this about a proper goodbye...? He slowed down and came to a stop as he caught sight of the stuffed toy still sitting in his living room.

Oh. He hadn't said goodbye to Abby.

Resisting the urge to snarl at the dragon for reminding him - it was a toy, for Merlin's sake! - Severus plopped into his own chair, rubbing his eyes with his fingertips. He wasn't completely sure why he hadn't gone down to say goodbye to Abby. He just couldn't do it. And then it was too late anyway, she was long gone.

It didn't matter anyway. He would never see her again.

Eating a light dinner, Severus started on a potion for Pomfrey, one that he had been putting off until now. Brewing always helped him, wiping his mind clean for at least a little while. Yet tonight, he couldn't help but sometimes think of the dark haired girl that used to run into the room, not caring that she was interrupting his work, asking question after question about the ingredients, about the potion itself. Then she would sit next to him and watch as he worked, or if he didn't want her near the potion, she would sit in one of the desks and draw nonsense that she would later show him proudly.

Some time later, he slammed his stirrer down. Severus was growling as he banished the potion with a wave of his wand. He couldn't think properly, and the result was a botched potion that he was lucky didn't blow up in his face. While he was usually a night owl, he decided this was the best time for him to head for bed, with a finger of alcohol beforehand to help him go to sleep faster.

And yet he still couldn't escape her - dreaming of bright green eyes that were filled with tears and the girl's echoing voice speaking nonsense he couldn't understand before he was startled awake, breathing heavily and coated in a thin layer of sweat, which he banished away with a simple cleaning spell.

"She's gone," Severus growled to himself before pulling the blanket up to his chin and screwed his eyes shut. "Get over it, man."

It felt like only a few moments of sleep had passed before someone decided to wake him by pounding on his bedroom door. "Severus! Severus, wake up!" called out the intruder. "Severus!"

Snatching up his wand, Severus was on high alert for a few moments before groaning as he realized who had woken him up. He cast a quick spell to tell him what time it was, and blinked in surprise when he saw that it was nine-thirty in the morning. He'd slept in and missed breakfast. Well, at least it was a Saturday, and there were no classes for him to worry about till much later.

The pounding resumed, and as Severus stumbled out of bed, he called out, "I'm coming! Stop that insentient knocking!" Shrugging on his dressing gown, he opened the door, narrowly missing Pomfrey's fist when she tried to "knock" again. "Bloody - What is the urgency, Poppy -"

"Abby's missing!" Pomfrey cried before he could even finish his sentence.

It took a moment for him to understand. "What? Poppy, what are you talking about?" asked Severus. "How can she be missing?"

"I went to the orphanage this morning to visit her," Pomfrey explained frantically, "but when I got there and asked to see her, they said that she was never taken there. In fact, they didn't even know she was supposed to be coming! Severus, someone's taken her, and I think it was Thomson!"

Severus frowned. "Thomson? Why would she take Abigail?" There was nothing special about her, save for the fact that she had lost her memories, and therefore couldn't tell them anything about her past.

Pomfrey shook her head. "I don't know, but who else could have taken her? She was the last person to have seen her."

Sighing, Severus tightened his dress robe around his waist. "Have you informed Dumbledore of this news?"

"Not yet, I was going to talk with him after you."

"Then we will go together," decided Severus. "Just let me get changed."

~o0o~

If she was to go by the number of meals she received since she was taken from Hogwarts, Abby guessed that this was her seventh day in the room. Or was it her eight? Sometimes she wasn't really sure.

Nibbling on the dry toast she'd been given for breakfast, Abby glanced around the room, her eyes shining dimly in the low candle light as she watched the other children that were being held there with her. She had learned from Tim that the 'lady' had all brought them here, sometimes under the pretense of being taken to an orphanage, like her, or simply stealing them from their homes. She was number eight. Some of them had been brought there at least a month before, if they had to guess, maybe more.

The reason? None of them knew.

And she quickly learned that none of the others could use magic. Or even knew that it really existed. They were what Mr. Severus called Muggles. They didn't understand that the 'lady', who Abby learned that was what they called her since she had never told them her name, had used magic to steal them away. And unlike her, they had all been knocked out when captured, waking up hours later and in the room, so they didn't know she could move from one place to another in a matter of seconds. In the beginning they had wondered about the house-elf that brought them their meals and newer - but plainer - clothes, but stopped when they realized that it wouldn't answer any of their questions. After some questioning of her own, she learned its name was Mammie, which they only learned when the lady called out for her.

While Abby knew better, about Thomson and Mammie, she held her tongue. She didn't want to look like a freak, and besides, what would it do? She couldn't use magic to get them out - the most she'd accomplished during her capture was creating a light while the others were asleep.

"You alright, Abby?"

Looking up at the 'leader' of the children, Abby nodded as she swallowed the last of her toast. "I'm fine, Tim," she answered. Tim was the oldest at ten, with sandy brown hair and light grey eyes, and he was almost like a mother hen; checking up on them frequently, giving his blanket or food away to one of the smaller children. When asked, he said that he was used to it, something about doing the same with his siblings. "How's Mary doing?"

Sighing, Tim glanced at the beds that they were forced to share. One of the girls, Mary, was curled up with a blanket, shaking from the fever she'd woken up with. "Alright for now, but it's gonna get worse really soon. We need medicine."

"Maybe we could ask Mammie for some broth and crackers ?" suggested Abby, remembering that Madam Pomfrey had given that to sick students when they needed to stay overnight. "So she can at least eat?"

"We can try," said Tim. He ruffled Abby's short hair with a small smile. "Thanks."

When she was alone again, or alone as one could be when locked in a room, Abby curled up against the side of the bed and rested her chin on her knees, wishing that she at least had her drawing pad. Even though her situation was terrible, she was only five - maybe? - and still got bored easily. She wasn't sure how many times she could go over potion ingredients in her head, some which she remembered from Mr. Severus explaining them to her. At least it kept her from thinking of what was going to happen to her.

_'Dandelions could be used to help heal small cuts. Wild mint can help with coughs, colds, and fevers when taken as a tea. Violets can be used in love potions -'_

The door slamming open startled Abby out of her thoughts, and everyone in the room watched as Thomson, or at least that's what Abby still called her in her mind, pushed forward another kid into the room; this time a young boy that was her age. Child number nine. He immediately fell to the floor, probably scraping his hands, and started to cry, tears running down his cheeks.

"SHUT UP!" screamed Thomson, earning more tears before slamming the door shut behind her. She started to mutter to herself, not even noticing Tim rushing up and checking over the new kid, making sure he wasn't too hurt before getting him away from their captor. "Damn, I hate kids, all you do is cry and whine -"

"Excuse me?" asked Abby hesitantly, flinching when Thomson looked her way. She looked different from the last time she saw her, her eyes now darker than before and her hair paler, but she still had the same overly sweet voice. "Please, we need medicine for Mary, she's not feeling too well-"

"What?" Thomson whirled around, marching over to the sick girl and letting her spidery fingers touch her forehead. "Damn," she cursed again after momentarily examining her. "I can't leave you alone without one of you little brats getting sick. MAMMIE!" she screeched, and the house-elf rushed into the room within a matter of seconds. The door was open, but none of the children dared to move. Last time one of them had tried to escape, she had knocked him out with what Abby knew was a spell.

"Yes, mistress?" asked the house-elf.

Thomson jabbed a finger at Mary. "Do something about her!"

"Yes, mistress," said Mammie with repeated bows, her ears flapping before she picked up the girl, who was even smaller than her, and rushed back out of the room.

"Well, I think one more kid and I'm done," said Thomson as she moved back to the center of the room, glancing over the children who trembled in her presence. A wicked grin was on her face. "Can't wait to get all you brats out of my hair. I don't care _what _they do with you." Turning on her heel, she swung the door open and left them, the door slamming shut behind her. The room was eerily silent for only a few moments before everyone started muttering to each other.

Possibly the only one to hear those words, Abby went white. Soon enough, Thomson would be getting rid of them. Who knew where they'd be going, or what would happen to them? Burying her face in her knees, she started to silently cry, tears burning her eyes before rolling down her pale cheeks.

_'Mr. Severus, where are you? Why haven't you found me yet?_

"A-Are you alright?"

Lifting her head, Abby saw that the boy brought in a few minutes ago was staring down at her, peering over the edge of the bed she was leaning against. From what she could see in the dim light, he had neatly trimmed dark blonde, or perhaps light brown hair that sometimes brushed against his cheeks, still round with baby fat and red from crying, and pale blue eyes that were raw.

"Yeah," said Abby as she bowed her head so she could hastily wipe away her tears. "Yeah, I'm fine." She looked up again. "What about you? You alright?"

He shrugged, mumbling that he was fine.

For a long minute, the two were silent before Abby finally asked, "How did she get you?"

The boy seemed startled that she was even talking to him, and stumbled to say something. "Uhm... I was playing near the garden," he started, "and she came up and asked where my Granny was. I said she was inside the house, and then the lady asked if I could show her the way. When I started to walk to the house, she grabbed me by the shoulder and pulled me away. I tried to scream, but she must have cast one of those Silencing Charm my Granny uses sometimes or something -"

"Wait, you know about magic?" said Abby, startled.

"Yes?" said the boy hesitantly. "Don't you?"

Glancing around to make sure no one was trying to listen in, Abby turned back to him and nodded. "Yeah, but none of the others do. They're all - whats the word - oh yeah, Muggles. They think the lady was just using tricks when she stole them away."

"Oh... we're not allowed to use magic in front of Muggles," the boy said in a whisper. "Granny said so."

"Doesn't matter anyway for us - all I can do is make a ball of light." said Abby with a shrug. It wouldn't help them get out. "What about you? Can you use magic?"

"I haven't done any magic yet," admitted the boy sadly. "Granny really worried that I'll turn out to be a Squib. My uncle too."

Even though she had no idea what a Squib was, Abby nodded in understanding. "What about your parents? They aren't worried?"

"... They're dead," said the boy, his gaze dropping to the floor. "Died when I was real little."

"Sorry... Do you remember them?" Abby asked gently.

"Sometimes, if I think really hard. Little bits."

"I don't remember my parents at all," Abby finally admitted, leaning back her head and resting it against the wall. "I lost all my memory - my name, my family, everything," she explained when the boy looked at her with wide eyes. "That's how the lady kidnapped me. She took me from the people I was staying with and was supposed to take me to some orphanage... I know it's nothing compared to your parents dying," she went on. "But at least you remember them, right?"

'I'm sorry," said the boy. "That you lost your memory, I mean."

Shrugging, Abby was silent for a moment. "it's not so bad," she said. "Miss Poppy - she was one of the people that took care of me - said it was because something happened to me that was bad enough that I didn't want to remember it anymore." She glanced down at her hands, still covered with tiny scars that couldn't be taken away with a wave of someone's wand. "I guess I'm better off not remembering whatever happened if it was that bad," she finished.

"I guess so... wish I could forget somethings," the boy mumbled. "But not everything. Especially not my granny."

"Do you think your grandma will come looking for you, then?" asked Abby.

"Maybe... Once she see's that I'm gone, I guess," said the boy with a shrug. "What about you? The people you were staying with - do you think they'll look for you?"

"I hope so," answered Abby after a moment. Would Mr. Severus, or anyone from Hogwarts, come and look for her? She didn't even know. Maybe they would just forget about her. "But until they find us, we'll just have to stick together, right?" She stuck her hand out to him. "My name's Abigail, but you can just call me Abby. Don't got - I mean, I don't have a last name. Nice to meet you."

Staring at her hand for a long moment, the boy finally reached down and took it, smiling shyly and blushing a light pink. "Neville Longbottom. Nice to meet you."

~o0o~

"How long does it take to get some bloody information nowadays? You'd think they were sending it by owl!"

"Please, Poppy, I must ask you to calm down -"

"Calm down? Albus, a little girl was kidnapped, which we've just learned a week after it happened, so who knows what's happened to Abby, and you're asking me to CALM DOWN?"

"Poppy -"

As the scene between Pomfrey and Dumbledore continued, with the latter again repeating his request that the healer to calm herself and sit down, Severus continued to watch the fireplace, his left leg bouncing as he waited. They had informed the headmaster immediately about what they learned, and the first thing Dumbledore did was Floo call Kingsley, asking him to find out anything he could about the situation. The Auror had promised he'd call him back within the hour with whatever he had.

It had now been an hour and fifteen minutes.

Placing a hand on his knee as he tried to stop his leg, Severus leaned back and closed his eyes. How could this have happened? She was suppose to leave Hogwarts and he'd never have to worry about her again. And yet not even a week after her departure, he was worried about her safety.

_'No, not worried,' _he corrected himself mentally. Maybe concerned, but not worried. He never worried about others.

The Floo suddenly flared green, and everyone in the room stopped what they were doing as they watched Kingsley come through, already given permission by Dumbledore, with a small file under his arm. "Did you find out anything?" Pomfrey asked immediately, while Severus stood as casually as he could.

"Reports show that no one from the Special Victims Department sent any letter out regarding Abigail in the last month," Kingsley answered. "Do you still happen to have the letter that was sent to you, sir?"

"Of course," said Dumbledore as he pulled it off his desk and handed it to the Auror.

Holding it up, Kingsley studied it with a frown. "It certainly does look authentic," he said after a few long minutes. He placed it back on the desk and then opened his file, studying something inside it. "And that is Thomson's signature. So far, the evidence does point to her, with her being the last person to see Abby and the one to send the letter. But it doesn't make sense. I've looked over her file, and she hasn't done anything before to draw attention to herself. Only missed one day of work in the last year, she's never had any complaints filed against her. She's not the best worker they have, but she certainly isn't the worst. While she does go out into the field sometimes, she usually only does paper work."

"So she had the means to send a letter and then made sure there was no history of it," said Dumbledore with a sigh. "That means she had intent to do this. Why, though?"

"There are many reasons as to why," spoke up Severus, "but none of that matters at the moment. What we first need to do is find Thomson and get her to tell us where she took Abigail. Can you accomplish that, Kingsley?" he asked with a sneer.

"I can't arrest her without more evidence," said Kingsley. "But... I can at least bring here in for questioning. Give me another hour." And with that, he went back through the Floo, the crackle of flames filling the silence that followed.

Sighing, Severus sat back in his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Oh, I hope that poor Abby is alright," said Pomfrey as she rung her hands together, shifting from anger to worry. "She must be so scared."

Absentmindedly, Severus nodded to agree with that statement. The girl still had her fear of shadows, of loud and sudden sounds, and of course of meeting new people. And during her stay, Pomfrey had told him about her new fear of dogs, which was revealed when she meet Hagrid's over-sized dog for the first time, and at the same time they learned that she also couldn't stand large amounts of blood when she was so startled she fell back and cut her knee badly on a rock.

Severus closed his eyes. Almost all of that was from abuse, he and Pomfrey deducted, which was remembered more by her body than from memories. And while most of those could be taken care of slowly there would still be sometimes when she wouldn't be able to stop herself from shaking, or screaming. She was already damaged, both physically and mentally. At least his father had never hit him too badly, his mother would do her best to stop him. He would just usually shout at him, words and nothing more, and only if he was really angry did he throw something. And yet it was obvious that she had been through much worse.

What snapped him out of thoughts again was the Floo, and Severus blinked repeatedly before glancing at the nearby clock. Had he really been so deep in thought that he didn't notice an hour go by?

"Let me go!" hissed Thomson as she was led out of the fireplace by Kingsley, snatching her arm back from his tight grip. "I don't know what this is about, but it does not give you the right to treat me like one of your prisoners!"

"Miss Thomson," said Dumbledore from behind his desk, smiling with cold eyes, "please, sit down. We need to talk."

"...About?" asked Thomson as she reluctantly sat in the nearest chair. "Is this about the girl - I believe we are calling her Abigail? Has she done something?"

"Yes, it is, in fact, she is the reason we've brought you here," Dumbledore answered, his smile disappearing. "We would like to know where you've taken her."

"Taken her? What are you talking about?" Thomson said with a frown, glancing around at the four that surrounded her warily. Severus noticed her fingers twitch. "I haven't seen her since that day in the infirmary, when she attacked Kingsley."

"Don't you lie to us, young lady," snapped Pomfrey. "I was there when you took her just a week ago! Now where did you take her?"

"A week ago - I don't know what you are talking about," said Thomson again, this time more firmly. "I haven't even been near Hogwarts."

"Oh, then where have you been?" Severus asked with a sneer.

"Working," said Thomson with a huff. "I've been busy with a case - some pureblood family wants to leave their Squib daughter in the Muggle world since she can't use magic. It's taking up all my time, trying to figure out where to send the poor girl and how to get here there with raising suspicion."

With a glance towards Dumbledore to make sure he had permission, Severus cleared his voice to catch Thomson's attention before looking into her eyes, silently casting the spell that would let him slip into her mind and see her thoughts.

A few long minutes later, Severus blinked as he withdrew from her mind, and Thomson groaned, clutching her head in pain. "What the hell? Did you just -"

"She's telling the truth as far as I can tell," announced Severus as he ignored her questioning. "She did not kidnap Abigail."

"What - Abigail's been kidnapped?" Thomson said with shock, wincing as another wave of pain went through her. "Why didn't you say so? I _definitely _had nothing to do with that - why would you even think I would do something that? I couldn't do something like kidnap a child!"

"But she was there!" protested Pomfrey. "I saw her! And what about the letter? She signed it! You said it was her signature!"

"Letter? May I see it?" Thomson asked with a frown.

Dumbledore nodded and handed the letter to Thomson, whose frown deepened as she glanced over it. "This is my signature, but... but it looks off." She brought out her wand, and before anyone could even move to stop her, she muttered a spell. A moment later, the letter glowed white, but it only lasted for a few seconds before it started to flash a dark red.

"What does that mean?" Kingsley asked.

"It means that the signature is a fake," Thomson declared, handing the letter back when it stopped flashing. "A very well done fake, my high level charm almost couldn't detect that magic was use to make it. Who did it certainly knows what they're doing."

"If you could tell me the spell?" Dumbledore asked. Thomson supplied it, and the wizard tried for himself, with the same results. "Miss Thomson is correct, the letter's signature is a fake."

"But if you didn't take Abby," said Pomfrey slowly as she quickly paled, "Who did? And why would they do it?"

"I can think of only one person that could do it," said Thomson after a moment of thought. "The only one that could possibly create my signature to the point that it's almost flawless."

"Who?" asked Kingsley and Severus together.

Thomson paused, almost hesitant to answer. "My assistant, Alice Meyer."

.

Thanks to everyone who even read this story! If you don't mind, please to go my Facebook and_ like_ it, the link is on my profile.


	11. Agony

**Agony**

* * *

><p>"Any luck?"<p>

Kingsley shook his head as he stepped through the Floo, the green flames licking harmlessly at his robes. "Alice Meyer wasn't in the office today. She informed your department last night that she was going on an unexpected vacation and wouldn't be back for quite some time."

"Which means that she could be anywhere," groaned Thomson. After informing them of the only person capable of forging her signature, she insisted on stay and helping. If Severus had a say in it, he would tell her to leave this very moment. But of course, Dumbledore said she could stay. After all, she was offering her help to catch the kidnapper, so why not use it?

"The best place to search first is her home or any older homes she might have inherited," said Severus. "Do we have that information?"

"I think so..." Thomson flipped through the file in her hand. "It says here she has her own house, but I doubt that's where she'd take Abigail with it being in a wizarding village. There's too high a risk to being seen and caught... Ah! She also has a house she inherited from her grandmother about ten years ago, which is further away, in a secluded area." She jabbed at the address with her finger. "That's where she probably took her - its perfect. Out of the way, and even if Abigail escaped, she wouldn't have anywhere to go. There's also a house-elf that was inherited with the property that could probably look after her while she was a work."

"Its best that we check both properties, just in case," said Dumbledore as he stood.

Before they could even decided who would go where, the fire flashed green, and a letter flew through, landing lightly at Kingsley feet. The Auror bent down and picked it up, his dark eyes glancing over it. "A friend of mine said he would alert me if he found anything to help us," he informed the group as he looked up. "Its a report that's been filled out by Augusta Longbottom - her grandson was kidnapped this morning."

"How is that connected with Abby's kidnapping?" asked Pomfrey, who had been rather silently lately.

"A house-elf saw the woman that kidnapped him before she disappeared," said Kingsley. "He gave a description that matches you, Thomson."

"How is that possible?" Thomson said with a frown. "If that was Alice she looks nothing like me."

"Polyjuice potion," said Severus almost instantly. "It takes sometime to brew, but it's not hard. And all she would need is one of your hairs. Or even a temporary glamour spell. She's almost the same age as you, and your height and built are almost a match. Changes her hair and eye color with a spell, and it would be hard for anyone who didn't know you personally to tell the difference."

"So she's kidnapping children while pretending to be me? Why?" Thomson asked, running a hand over her hair.

"That's something we'll have to ask her when we arrest her," said Kingsley. "I'll gather some men and have them search her home. We," he gestured to the ready witch and wizards, "will go to the house she inherited. Madam Pomfrey, I think it's best you stay here. If either team finds Abby, she might need medical attention, and it'll be easier to get her taken care of if you're here waiting for her."

"Especially since I doubt she do well with some stranger at St. Mungo," mentioned McGonagall.

Pomfrey nodded. "Alright."

"Then let's get moving," said Dumbledore as he stood. "We're running out of time."

In less then fifteen minutes, the four were making their way down a dirt path that lead to the Meyer home, inherited by its only heir, Alice. It looked like it hadn't been cared for since its owner died, weeds everywhere and the grass wild. It was probably only thanks to magic that the house looked like it wouldn't fall apart the minute they stepped onto the porch.

As Dumbledore reached up to knock on the door, all four of them kept their hands either on or near their wands. They weren't sure how violent this could get, but they weren't going to take any chances.

The door creaked open a minute later and the wide eyes of a house-elf appeared in the crack. "Hello? How can Mammie help?"

"Hello, my name is Auror Kingsley. Is your Mistress, Alice Meyer, here?" asked Kingsley politely. "We'd like to speak with her."

The door opened wide, to show a female house-elf in a ragged dishrag. "Mistress is here," said the house-elf, nodding its head so quickly that its ears flopped up and down. "Yes, Mistress is here. Mammie will fetch Mistress for nice bald man and his friends. Yes, Mammie will." And then she disappeared with a crack, leaving the door wide open.

"Not the strangest house-elf I've seen to date, but close," said Severus with a twitch of his eye as they stepped into the house, remembering one of the Malfoy house-elves, Dobby.

A few minutes later, a woman appeared in the semi-dark hallway. Meyer was as Severus said before, only a few years younger than Thomson and with almost the same height and built. Her hair though was a pale blonde, almost white, with dark brown eyes, and she had glasses perched on the bridge of her nose. "I'm sorry, I'm not sure what you're here for, but I'm very busy -" She stopped when Thomson stepped forward. "Oh, Darcy, what are you doing here? Did I forget to do something at the office before I left? You should have just Floo called me -"

"We're here on more importance business, ma'am," interrupted Kingsley. "It's regarding two missing children. Abigail, a new orphan, and Neville Longbottom, the heir to the Longbottom House."

"I'm sorry, I've never heard of them," said Meyer with a frown, but Severus saw the wariness that suddenly appeared in her eyes. "If that's what you've come to talk to me about, I don't know what I can do to help you -"

"If I may, why did you suddenly go on vacation, Miss Meyer?" asked Dumbledore.

"I'm moving," replied Meyer, just a little too quickly. "And I'm selling both my home and this house. So I decided to take a week to go through everything and see if there's anything I should take with me. Besides, it's nice to have a break every once in awhile, right? Working with children is tiring."

"Please, I've had enough of this," snapped Thomson suddenly, stepping up. "We know what you did, Alice!"

"Darcy? What are you talking about?" asked Meyer as she took a step back. Severus noticed her hand itching towards her left side, where she must have kept her wand.

"Miss Meyer, we believe you have kidnapped the two children mentioned before," said Kingsley. "Unless you have proof of where you were this morning and where you were a week from yesterday, I'm afraid you'll have to come with us."

Eyes widening, Meyer was frozen for only a moment. "But I haven't done anything wrong," she exclaimed, looking to each of them with a slightly wild look. "I haven't, I promised!"

"You're lying, Miss Meyer," Severus finally said. "Now tell us what you've done with Neville Longbottom and Abigail."

"I-I haven't done anything to them!" Meyer cried. "I promise!" She started to sob into her hands, and only Severus sneered in disgust at the obvious bit of acting.

"Even so, ma'am, you'll need to come with us, if only just to answer some questions," said Kingsley, carefully stepping forward and causing Meyer to look up, her eyes watery and red.

"B-But -"

Another sob suddenly attracted everyone's attention, and even Meyer turned towards the noise. In the nearby doorway, a small girl had fallen to her knees, tears running down pale cheeks as she tried to breath. Her eyes were hidden by her short curtain of dark hair, but it was obvious who it was.

"Abby?" said Severus, startled.

Looking up at the call of her name, Abby seemed to be in a daze, her green eyes not focusing on them properly, but she still managed to call out, "Help..."

* * *

><p>Staring at the door, the only thing that kept her and eight other children from escaping, Abby desperately tried to think of a way to break it down, or at the very least, unlock it. Neville said he knew there was a spell that could do that, but he couldn't remember what it was, which did help them since they didn't have a wand. Right now, anything that <em>might <em>help them get out sounded good to her.

Closing her eyes with a sigh, Abby let her head fall against the cold wall. If only she could Apparate, like Thomson had done to get her there. That's what Neville told her it was called. Then at least she could get out of the room and unlock it for the others. Then maybe they would have a chance.

"Abby?"

Opening her eyes with a few blinks, Abby glanced at Neville, who sat next to her. He'd quickly become her friend in the hours since he was dropped off, and already she could tell when he was scared, or thinking of the worst. This was one of those times, his hands shaking in his lap. "What do you think the lady is gonna do with us?" he asked, a tremble in his voice. "I mean, she brought us here for a reason, right?"

"I don't know," answered Abby with a mutter. She had wondered that too. Thomson's mutterings hadn't told her who they were being sold to, and it sounded like she didn't know either. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good...

Groaning, Abby ran a hand over her short hair, closing her eyes again. She just wished that she could get out of this room! She wished more then anything that she could, so she could get back home, to Hogwarts, and Mr. Severus!

"Ahh!"

"What?" said Abby as her eyes snapped open, startled at Neville's sudden cry. "What's wrong, Neville?"

Shushing her, Neville glanced other children were looking their ways, frowning, but turned away when they saw nothing was wrong, instead looking back to Mary, who Mammie had brought back just awhile ago. He waited until he was sure they weren't interested in them anymore before he whispered. "You flickered! You went see through for a second!"

"Huh?" Abby glanced over her hands - they looked solid to her. "What are you talkin' about, Neville?" she asked, looking to him with confusion. "I'm fine!"

"But you almost disappeared," urged Neville. "Like you were about to A-Apparate!"

Eyes wide, Abby glanced back at her hands. She had almost disappeared by Apparating? How was that possible? She didn't even know how, or even know about it till Thomson used it to take her away. And... how could she do it again.

"Tell me if I do it again," Abby told Neville, ignoring his whispered protests before closing her eyes and trying again. She clenched her fists in her lap, her brow furrowing from the strain. '_Come on, come on, come on...' _She felt her magic flow through her, warming her, and she waited for something to happen.

It seemed like an eternity had passed before she finally heard Neville whisper, "Um... nothing. Sorry, Abby."

Groaning, Abby opened her eyes, thumping her fists against her own thighs. "Why can't I do it _now_?" she muttered. She could use it to get out of the room, unlock the door, and then they could all escape.

"M-Maybe it was just an accident," said Neville softly. "Sorry."

"Its not your fault, Neville," Abby whispered, sighing again as she tried to think of what she was doing wrong. Maybe it was just her magic was too... ugh, she didn't even know the right word. Wild, maybe. She just wished she knew how to control it...

"That's it!" said Abby, startling Neville. "I think I know how to do it," she explained excitedly. She was wishing! She remembered when she first was at Hogwarts, and she wished a light to come on, or wished a step to appear so she could see herself in the mirror. She had wished to get out of the room. "Tell me if it starts to work again," she told Neville before mimicking her position from before.

"Um, I don't think this is a good idea..."

_'I wish I was out of this room,' _Abby wished in her mind. _'I wish I was outside the door. I wish I was outside the door.' _Again, her magic started to warm her, flickering like a flame.

"A-Abby? You're flickering."

Trying not to smile in triumph, Abby repeated her wish over and over in her head. _'I wish I was outside the door. I wish I was outside the door. I wish I was outside the door! I wish I was outside the door night now!'_

It felt like she must have repeated it hundred times, and Abby was starting to worry. But then it came, so suddenly it felt like she was hitting a brick wall. It felt like fire running through her veins, filling her stomach. It was like being set on fire, burning her from the inside out. Before she could let out a cry of pain, she felt as she were being forced through a tight tube by having someone pulling her through by a hook behind her navel. Trying to just let it happen, Abby bit her lip as something seemed to whip around her like a strong wind, lifting her off the ground.

Finally, it seemed to die down, and Abby suddenly found herself thrown to the ground, her thrown out hands the only thing stopping her face from meeting the stone floor, instead landing on them and her knees. Biting back a cry of pain, she fell to her side, cradling her hands to her chest. She took a few moments of deep breathing to ease the pain before finally opening her eyes, blinking back tears so she could see clearly.

"I-I did it!" Abby whispered happily, gingerly pushing herself up so she could look around. She was no longer in the room, instead at the bottom of a set of stone stairs, and from the look of the door that was just in front of her, she was right outside of it, just like she wished for. She punched the air with a wince. "I did it!"

"Abby," called out a faint voice, barely making it through the thick door. "Are you out there?"

"Neville, I did it!" Abby said back as she struggled to stand up, her legs feeling like jelly. "I did it! I'm outside the door!"

"Abby," called out Tim. He must have noticed that she was gone and that Neville was yelling at her through the door. "Abby, I don't know how you got out there, but can you open the door?"

"Yeah, just give me a minute!" Standing up, Abby winced at the bruises on her hands and knees, but took a step towards the door. Instantly, she regretted it; her vision started to blur, and she felt herself start to sway, like her legs had suddenly disappeared. Gasping, she clutched the nearest wall so she could hold herself up, all while trying not to be sick. It felt like all her energy had been suddenly drained, someone trying to leave her as weak as a newborn baby.

Someone was calling her name again, but Abby couldn't answer yet, breathing deeply to try and focus her vision again. She muttered one of Mr. Severus' favorite curse words. How did getting out of the room help if she couldn't even walk to escape?

"Are you alright? Abby!"

"Just a little dizzy. Its going to take me a minute." Shuddering as she took a breathe, Abby used the wall to help her move towards the door, moving inch by inch. It seemed to take a lifetime before she finally reached it, and she was amazed that she made it at all - it felt like she'd just run a marathon.

But the others needed her more than she needed a break.

Lifting a shaky hand, Abby felt around for a lock, a doorknob, anything. But after a long minute of searching, she left her hand drop, cursing as she let her forehead hit the door. It was a smooth, thick wooden door, with not even a handle to open it. Thomson must have used magic to open it.

"Sorry," Abby called through the door, struggling to make sure they could hear her. "I can't open it. I'm gonna go find something to open it."

"Be careful, Abby," called out Neville. "Don't let the lady see you."

Nodding in answer, even though she knew Neville couldn't see it, Abby carefully turned towards the stairs. She silently groaned when she realized how long it would take her to the top. And her energy was already low. Yet she knew that she didn't have a choice - not if she wanted to get out of here.

Letting a few tears run down her cheeks, Abby started the long trek up the stairs.

It was self inflicted torture. Each step felt heavier than the last, her hands started to shake violently, and taking a breathe started to hurt. More than once Abby was forced to stop, panting for breathe and wiping her sweat soaked brow. She just felt so drained. And she wanted desperately to stop. To just sit there and breathe. But what she wanted more was to escape and go home. So no matter how much it hurt, she went on.

When she finally reached the top of the stairs, all Abby could do was push at the door, which swung open easily, before collapsing into a pile, gasping for air. She done it. She was a little closer to getting home. Now to find thing to open the door, or maybe someone to help them. Who, she didn't know. But she would take anyone at the moment. Maybe a neighbor - as long as they weren't in the middle of the woods, or something like that.

Slowly moving down a long hallway, which was lit only by a few dim candles, Abby was glad that it didn't tire her out as much as climbing the stairs did. Maybe her energy was starting to return. She tried to smile at that thought, but couldn't even manage that for long. There were just so many doors, so many hallways. Who knew which one would lead outside... or to Thomson? She would just keep going till she was sure.

"enough of... Alice..."

"What... you..."

"... two children... come with us..."

Abby frowned. Those were voices. And it sounded like there were more than one, including Thomson's. For a moment, she panicked. What if this was the one that was going to take them away? What was he planning on doing with them?

"... lying... where... Abigail..."

Perking up at the sound of her name, Abby instantly knew who the new voice belonged to. "Mr. Severus," she gasped out, pushing herself forward. He was here to rescue her! He would save her and the others!

Moving almost blindly towards the voices, Abby wasn't sure how far she went before she stumbled around a corner and then through an open doorway, falling to her knees again. Tears rolling down her cheeks as she sobbed, she suddenly heard her name being called. Lifting her head, despite the pain it caused, Abby saw the blurry bodies of at least five adults, and she weakly spoke.

"Help..."

A flash of red sped towards Abby before she could say anymore, and hit her square in the chest. Something rushed through her, and she felt heavy. Almost instantly, she felt her eyes close fall, and her last thought before she fell to the floor was that Mr. Severus had come to save her.

* * *

><p>Before anyone could react, Meyer's wand was out, and she shot a silent Stunner at the girl, collapsing like a puppet who had lost it strings. "Stupid girl!" she hissed before turning her wand back on them, firing Stunners at them as well. Luckily, Severus' already had his wand out and blocked most of the spells. Preoccupied with that though, he missed his chance to stop Meyer before she ran off.<p>

"Take care of Abby, Severus, we'll follow her," said Dumbledore before following Kingsley as they rushed after her, Thomson right after them.

Moving quickly to the fallen girl's side, Severus carefully turned her onto her back, checking for any serious injures as he did with a spell that he'd learned from Pomfrey. There were none, thankfully, but he did notice that she had lost most of the weight she'd gained, and had started to get pale again. And for some reason, her magic was very low. It was a miracle she was even able to move earlier. And he'd have to take care of that before he woke her up.

Searching through his robes, Severus pulled out a lemon yellow potion. While he couldn't restore all her magic, this would at least give a necessary boost until they could get back to Hogwarts and get her some medical help. One hand going under her head to lift it up, he pulled off the stopper with his teeth pressed it to her lips. They parted slightly, and he carefully poured the potion into her mouth, making sure to stop often so he could get her to swallow it.

Waiting for a long minute before checking her magic levels again, Severus breathed a sigh of relief when he saw they had risen, at least enough to wake her up safely. First lifting her up so she was sitting in his lap, cradling her head against his shoulder, he muttered the counter spell for the Stunner. Severus watched as she slowly started to wake up. "Abigail?"

With a groan, Abby's eyes fluttered open. "Wha?" Suddenly, she stiffened, glancing around with fear. "Mr. Severus," she cried out.

"I'm here, Abigail," Severus said soothingly, trying to calm her down. "You're safe now."

Finally looking up to him, it took a long moment before tears started to run down Abby's cheeks, all the while her lip trembled. "You came," she sobbed, turning into his shoulder to cry and clutching his robes with shaky hands. "I-I knew you'd save us. I knew it."

"It's alright, child," said Severus over her sobs as he stood. "I'm going to take you back to Hogwarts."

"W-Wait," said Abby, lifting her head up - even that simple action seemed to tire her. "We have to save the others."

"Others?" As far as he knew, there was only the Longbottom heir. "Abigail, how many children does Meyer have here?"

"Eight," answered Abby softly. "They're all down in the basement."

Nine children total? What was Meyer planning on doing with all of them? "Can you show me where they are?" Severus asked. He was answered with a nod, and Abby pointed towards the hallway she had emerged from.

It took some time, since Abby admitted that she just ran when she escaped and didn't bother to look for any landmarks so she could get back. But with a few helpful spells, Severus found himself descending a set of stone stairs, which ended with a large wooden door that Abby sleepily said the children were behind. He couldn't feel anything when he got close to it, so no wards. Meyers must have thought children couldn't escape the room because they couldn't control their magic. What puzzled him was the fact that the door had no handle or lock. It was held closed with only magic.

"Abigail, how did you get out the room?" Severus asked with a glance towards the girl in his arms. But she was already asleep, her tiny hands still clutching his robes. Making a metal note to question her later, Severus went to work on opening the door. It took a few tries, but finally, the door swung open with a loud creak.

As he stepped inside, Severus clenched his teeth together to stop the sudden urge to leave the room, find Meyer, and hex her till she begged for him to end her. The room wasn't very large, but had to hold at least five beds with only a small adjacent room that seemed to be a partial bathroom. Eight children gasped as he entered, most of them huddling into a corner and shaking. But one boy stayed where he was, though he did look as if he was about to empty his bowels at the very sight of him.

"W-Who are you? Why do you have Abby?" the boy asked with a stammer, glancing at the sleeping girl in his arms.

"You're the Longbottom boy, aren't you?" said Severus, not answering him as he studied him. He took quite a bit of his mother looks, who he went to school with.

Wide eyed, the boy nodded. "A-Are you here t-to rescue us?"

"It appears so," said Severus.

The other children perked up upon hearing this news, all of them rushing forward and thanking him over and over. Severus had to resist the urge to step away - it was slightly unnerving to have this many small children around him.

"Sir?" said Longbottom. "Um... They don't know, about m-magic, I mean," he said quickly and quietly.

Muggle children? Severus held back a groan. This was going to be a nightmare to fix. "Alright, all of you get in a line," he barked. "We're not leaving till you are all in a straight line."

It was obvious that they were eager to leave, the children scrambled to get into a line, staring up at him with wide eyes and waiting for another order. Not giving one, Severus simply turned on his heel and made his way back up the stairs, the children following him after only a moment's hesitation.

He lead them up to the front room, where he found Thomson had returned. "Dumbledore and Kingsley caught her," she reported as he entered. "They're taking her to the Ministry - Where did all these children come from?" she asked in astonishment as the children poured into the room, wincing at the bright light that poured through the open front door.

"Apparently, Meyer kidnapped them all," said Severus. "All except for Longbottom are Muggle."

"Oh dear," Thomson mumbled. "I'll have to call inside for some help with this," she mumbled as she went to look for the nearest fireplace.

"If you don't mind, I shall be taking Abigail and Mr. Longbottom back to Hogwarts so Madam Pomfrey can look over them," said Severus. He didn't wait for an answer, starting to walk away. "Come along, Mr. Longbottom, we shall move to the edge of the grounds and Apparate."

"Y-Yes, sir," said Longbottom with a series of quick nods before following him outside.

The sun shone bright, and Abby happily sighed in the warm light before nuzzling closer to him, already happy to leave the house that had been her prison. Severus simply shifted her in his arms before instructing Longbottom to hold his arm so they could leave. The stuttering boy did as he was told. A moment later, a pop filled the air, and the three were gone, never to return to the awful place.


	12. Unexpected

**Unexpected**

* * *

><p>"... should be arriving in a few minutes."<p>

"I must say, I am not looking forward to... _her_ arrival."

"Now, behave, Severus. She's not _that_ bad."

"Didn't you go to school with her?"

"Mm."

Slowly waking up to the sound of an ongoing conversation, Abby didn't open her eyes yet, quite content to just relax in the soft bed; warm underneath the many blankets piled on top of her and her head cradled by a fluffy pillow. Though she didn't like the smell of cleaner in the air, the sharp odor making her nose twitch.

Wait... Didn't she know that smell?

Her eyes finally fluttering open, Abby saw a pure white ceiling above her instead of the mismatched dark stones that she was use to seeing for the last week. She instantly knew where she was - after all, how long had see stared up there and tried to make patterns out of everything, trying to keep herself from being bored to death? She was in the private room of the infirmary. Abby smiled brightly. She was home. She was at Hogwarts.

"Y-You're awake."

Turning her head towards the voice, Abby smiled at the young boy that was sitting in the next bed. "Hullo, Neville," she said softly. "Not that I'm not happy to see you... but what are you doing here?" She would have thought that his grandmother would had picked him up the second he was found. "Are you hurt?" She glanced over him with worry.

"I'm alright, Madam Pomfrey said I just need some rest. And I'm waiting for my granny, she's on her way to take me back home." Neville glanced at his lap, where his hands were twisting nervously. "I also... err... I wanted to say t-thanks. For saving all of us, I mean," he finally said. "I don't know how you did it, but thanks... Um... how _did_ you do that?"

"...I'm really not sure," said Abby hesitantly. And that was half the truth. Sure, she knew that she had to keep on wishing very strongly, but she didn't know _exactly_ how it worked. "Uh... do you mind not telling anyone?" she asked quietly. "Just till I figure it out, I mean."

Blinking, Neville nodded in agreement. "Sure. Its the least I can do."

Thanking him with a smile, Abby pushed herself up so she could rest against the backboard, but winced when she put weight on her hands. She'd forgotten that they had gotten all scratched up in her escape. "I'm fine," she said when she noticed Neville starting to worry. "Just a little achy." Settled, she took a moment to glance over hands. The small cuts and bruises she had gained were gone, but the new skin that was there was still a little sensitive to the touch.

"Oh, Abby!" Pomfrey rushed over. "You're awake! Goodness gracious, young lady, you can't even stay out of trouble for a few days," she said with a wagging finger, even as she started to tear up. "What am I going to do with you?" Sniffling, she carefully wrapped her arms around the younger girl, giving her a gentle hug. "I'm just glad you're back safe and sound," she admitted. "Thank Merlin that Severus found you."

"I missed you too, Miss Poppy," said Abby with a tearful sniff.

Pulling away, Pomfrey wiped away her tears before going on and saying, "Now, next time you get a situation like that, Abby, try not to drain yourself of magic again. The seconds time in less then two months - its not healthy for a growing young lady. Do you understand?"

"Yes, ma'am, I'll try," Abby promised, her cheeks burning in embarrassment as Pomfrey bustled off to check on another student in the main examination room, one who seemed to have caught a magical flu from playing around in the snow to long if Abby was to believe Pomfrey's mumblings.

"It seems that you can't stay away from Hogwarts for very long, can you, Abigail?"

Looking to the voice, Abby smiled brightly at the figure in the doorway. "Hi, Mr. Severus! Thanks for rescuing me and Neville - I knew you would."

"Mm." Severus swept into the room and sat in a nearby chair, looking over her with careful eye even as he tried to seem uninterested. "And how are you feeling now?"

"Better," Abby answered with a nod. "I'm just really glad to be out of that room. It was awful." She shuddered before going on to say, "Um... what happened to Thomson, sir?" she asked hesitantly. "I mean, did someone catch her?"

"Thomson was not the one that kidnapped you or the other children," Severus informed her, who was startled at the news. "It was in fact her assistant, Alice Meyer. Apparent, she was offered a large amount of money to steal a total of ten children. She took on Thomson appearance more then once, along with a few others, and ever forged quite a few documents. She probably would have gotten away with it if she just stuck to taking Muggle children. But then she acted rather foolishly and took you, and then Mr. Longbottom, and that caused the Ministry to catch on to her scheme just in time."

"Who was she gonna sell us to?" Abby slowly asked after a moment.

"That you don't need to know," said Severus, waving it off. "But you can be happy to know that she is now in custody, and awaiting trail. Since the crime involved kidnapping children, I'm sure she will get plenty of years in Azkaban."

"That's good," said Abby with a nod, even though she had no idea what Azkaban was, though it didn't seem good if she was to judge it by the sudden fear on Neville's face. "She can't hurt anyone now."

As Severus nodded in agreement with her, the nearby fireplace was suddenly filled with green flames, and moments later, a woman stepped out. She was old, though not as old as Dumbledore, with dove grey robes that almost matched her hair that was pulled back into a bun, and sharp blue eyes that instantly went to Neville. "Oh, thank goodness," she breathed as she briskly walked forward.

"Granny!" Neville practically bolted out of his bed, running into his grandmother's arms and sobbing out his apologizes, promising never to talk to a stranger again and so on.

"Its quite alright now, Neville," said his grandmother soothingly, running a white gloved hand over his blonde hair. "You're safe, and we'll be going home soon." Lifting her gaze from her grandson, she looked to Abby, who was only a few feet away from her. "You are the girl that saved my grandson?"

"Um, yes, ma'am," said Abby with a nod.

"Then you have my eternal thanks," said the elderly Longbottom with a bow of her head. "I wasn't ready to lose my son's only child. Your name, young lady?"

"Abigail," she answered, "or just Abby."

"Augusta Longbottom. My grandson, heir to the Longbottom Household, now owes you a life debt, Abigail," Augusta said, holding her head a little higher. "In most situations, that would mean that he would be betrothed to you. That means marriage," she explained when Abby looked at her with confusion.

It wasn't a surprise that both Abby and Neville blushed a bright red, Severus chuckling quietly beside her. Marriage? She was only five!

"Don't worry, Abigail, I wouldn't suggest that," said Augusta with her own chuckle. "But the next situation would be for my Neville to become your protector, or maybe a better way would be for him to because your friend for life."

"Um, I really don't wanna force Neville to be my friend," said Abby with a shake of her. If she wanted the shy boy to be her friend, she wanted him to be because he wanted to. Not because he was forced to just because she "saved" her life.

"Well, then how about we say he owns you a favor?" suggested Augusta with a small smile, and Abby quickly agreed with a nod of her head. A favor sounded the best out of all that. "Excellent. And please, feel free to visit our home anytime." She said her goodbyes, with Neville waving farewell, and both of them left through the Floo in a rush of green flames.

"I would be careful on how you decide use that favor," Severus warned her. "The House of Longbottom has a lot of power and money. That favor could become very valuable someday."

Nodding in agreement even though she wasn't really sure why, Abby couldn't stop the yawn that suddenly filled her and escaped. Even though she had only woke up a few minutes ago, she was struggling to stay awake now. "Why I am still so tired?" she asked with a mumble, rubbing her eyes so they would stop burning.

Long potion-stained fingers grasped her hands to make her stop. "You've just lost a lot of magic," explained Severus even as he gentle pushed back into bed, pulling the blankets over her curled up body and up to her chin. "Your body is trying to get it back through plenty of rest and relaxation."

"So if I -_ yawn_ - sleep a lot, my magic will come back?" asked Abby with a mumble. That was good. Using all that magic had made her so tired and weak. She didn't like it.

"Something like that."

"But I don't wanna..." Abby yawned again. She didn't want to go back to sleep. She might wake up and find out that this was all a dream.

"You need your sleep anyway, you've been through quite a lot," said Severus, but he sounded so far away. "Don't worry, I'll come back when you wake up." There was a long pause, and Abby thought he said something else, something important, but before it could really register in her mind, she was fast asleep, dreaming of nonsense that she wouldn't remember when she woke up.

* * *

><p>Trying not to chuckle at the sleepy girl, Severus pulled the blankets over Abby as he explained that she needed sleep to restore her magic. She mumbled something, but he could already tell she was starting to fall asleep. He promised to be back when she woke up, but then he paused as he gathered his courage for a moment. "I plan on adopting you," he admitted softly, even though he knew that Abigail was already fast asleep and couldn't hear him. But it felt like... somewhat of a relief to say it.<p>

"Severus?" asked Pomfrey a few minutes later as he came back into the main examination room. "She's asleep then?"

"Yes, and I expect she will stay that way for quite awhile," Severus said as he stood, smoothing out his robes with a sweep of his hand. "I have an appointment with the headmaster after dinner - please let me know when she woken up, if you don't mind."

"Of course, Severus," said Pomfrey with a nod before bustling around again to take care of her other patient.

Making his way through the halls of Hogwarts up to the Headmaster's office after a rather satisfying meal, Severus ignored the children as they raced - then slowed down to a quick walk at the sight of him - back to their rooms after gorging themselves. While no one outside a few members of the staff knew that Abby had returned, he had no doubt that at least by the end of the next day, the news would have spread like wildfire. And Abby probably would have some guests tomorrow afternoon, from the older Slytherins to some of the younger Gryffindors.

"Butterbeer," Severus said to the gargoyle, who sneered at him before moving aside, accepting the password and letting him pass without trouble.

"Ah, right on time," said Dumbledore with a smile as he entered the office, waving a hand towards the chair and holding out a colourful tin with the other. "Lemon drop?"

"No, thank you," said Severus, sitting down. "I just ate."

Dumbledore sighed. "No one ever wants a lemon drop," he mumbled as he placed the tin away, but not before popping one into his mouth. "I missed supper, as you saw, to finish up some unfinished business. Anyway, how is Abby doing? Recovering well from this incident?"

"She's sleeping soundly," answered Severus. "Magic exhaustion and some minor malnutrition was all Pomfrey found, otherwise, rather well after being in the company of a mad woman for a over a week. We aren't exactly sure _how_ she lost that much magic in a short period of time, or how she even escaped, since Longbottom says he didn't know."

"Glad to hear she's doing well. You will be glad to hear that while Miss Thomson has returned the other children to their homes, and I've pushed to have Meyer taken to trial as soon as possible. Obviously, she will be found guilty, whither she admits it or not, and is likely to be sent to Azkaban for at least fifty years - five years for each kidnapped Muggle child and ten for Abby and Mr. Longbottom."

"She deserves more then that." growled Severus. The mad woman had been planning on sell on the children to one of the more dangerous, bloodthirsty vampire clan, where they would either keep them as blood servants or turn them. It didn't matter which - once they were forcibly bitten, they would never be able to leave. Severus shuddered at the thought of Abby, pale and weak from being drained, or with dark red eyes that would matched her blood stained lips.

Not commenting on that, Dumbledore smiled and carefully moved them on. "Its possible that both Abby and young Longbottom will have to appear in court, as witnesses. She will stay here until that happens, one of the reasons I'm pushing forward the trail date." He pressed his fingers together and leaned back. "Now, my boy, what was it you wanted to talk with me about that couldn't wait until tomorrow?"

Suddenly feeling very nervous, Severus cleared his throat. "I've... I've been thinking that maybe you were right, Albus." Damn, he really hated admitting that.

"Oh? And what was I right about this time?" asked Dumbledore, the twinkle in his eye growing.

For a moment, Severus was tempted to send him a glare before changing to a completely subject, or maybe even burn his precious tin of lemon drops. But holding back those feelings, Severus cleared his throat again and went on. "That the best thing for Abigail is to stay here... with me."

"Ah, so you would like to become her guardian?" said Dumbledore, smiling brightly. "While a little unexpected, this is wonderful news, Severus, and I'm so glad to hear it. Abby seems to have wormed her way into your heart as well."

"So it would seem," said Severus dryly. He hadn't realized till Abby was gone, but she had brought a light into his life, and was the first person in many years to actually make him feel happy. And he had let her go so easily. And had nearly lost Abby for good, without even saying goodbye. He wasn't about to make that mistake again.

"I'm warning you now, though, its not going to be an easy process," said Dumbledore. "Even though I have a few friends in the Ministry that have given their permission for you to become her guardian, and later on adopt her if you like, you still have to fill out the necessary paperwork and go through an examination. For them to see if you're fit to be a parent," he explained when Severus started to look confused. "You might have to have a friend or two speak on your behalf."

Severus gave a stiff nod. He knew that he wouldn't be able to breeze through it, though he certainly did hope for a moment.

"Also, while I don't think she'll argue, I believe it would be best to inform Abby of your plan before you start the process."

While Severus knew that was the best idea, he still had to hold back the wince. He'd hadn't thought of that. It had take a rather large dose of Gryffindor courage to even say it to her while she was sleeping. He wasn't sure he could do it again.

"Don't tell me you're scared, Severus?" Dumbledore said with a raised eyebrow.

Severus scoffed. "The very idea of me being scared is ridiculous, Albus," he said with glare. "I will tell her as soon as she wakes up."

Not even a moment later, the flames in the fireplace flared and turned bright green, Pomfrey's head appearing. "Ah, I hoped I'd find you here, Severus," she said with a smile. "Abby's woken up again, and she'd like to see you."

Damn the Fates. They were just mocking him now, weren't they?

"Ah, thank you, Poppy. He'll be down in just a few minutes," Dumbledore informed her. After the nurse's head disappeared and flames turned back to their orange-red colour, he chuckled. "Well, that certainly was convenient, wasn't it?"

"Too convenient, if you ask me," sneered Severus even as he stood up. "I shall... inform Abigail of my plans. You will gathered any papers I need to sign?" Answered with a nod, he replied, "Then I will return once I'm done."

"Don't rush," said Dumbledore cheerfully, popping yet another lemon sherbet into his mouth, and again, Severus held back the urge to destroy that blasted tin of candy. Instead, he made his way out of the office, making sure not to show on his face how much his stomach turning and twisting.

When he stepped into the private room that Abby was being kept in again, he was surprised to see her not smiling brightly at him, or shouting out her nickname for him. Instead, she was sitting up in bed again, staring at him and blinking slowly. "Abigail?" he asked with a frown, closing the door behind him. "Are you feeling well?"

Instead of answering him, Abby pushed back her blankets slipped out of bed, clad in only her nightgown as she padded over to him, still staring until she reached out and took his left hand. She grasped in both of her smaller hands, twisting it each and every way and looking over every inch his fingers, much like she did when they were first choosing her name. Severus stayed still as she did her examination, not sure what this was about.

Finally, she let go of his hand, blushing slightly. "Sorry, Mr. Severus," Abby mumbled. "I had a dream that you... well, weren't you, and that you didn't rescue me, so I was still stuck in that room. I just wanted to make sure..."

Sighing, Severus gently touched her shoulder and lead her back to her bed. "Rest assured, Abigail, you are safe at Hogwarts, and I have not changed since you last saw me a few hours ago." While she scrambled back into bed, he pushed the nearby chair closer, his knee's almost touching the mattress when he sat down. "Do you feel any better?"

"Yeah," said Abby with a nod. "Loads better. I don't feel tired anymore." She wrinkled her nose. "Is that gonna happen every time I lose a lot of my magic?"

"Sometimes. The effects will vary, but basically the same thing, yes," answered Severus. "Depending on how quickly you lose it, or if you lose it all at once or in bursts. If you lose a large amount at once, which is what I expect you did, it takes more out of you then just losing it in with multiple bursts. You waste more then just magic, you waste energy." He peered down at her. "Care to tell me how you lost your magic, or maybe how you escaped a room with no handle or lock?"

"Uh... I'm not really sure," admitted Abby, shrugging and glancing down at her sheets. "I just kept wishing I could get out of the room. Then Neville told me he could see through me for a second, like I was about to Apparate. So I kept wishing really hard, and suddenly, I was outside the door."

"Accidental magic, perhaps," said Severus after a moment of thought. Was he right when he thought they'd only seem a small part of her abilities? "It doesn't matter, though," he said, waving it off. "All that matters is that you're safe here."

"Yeah..." Abby was still looking down at her sheets, picking at any loose fibers she found. "Um... How long do I get to stay here this time?" she asked quietly. "Until they take me to a real orphanage."

"You won't be going to an orphanage," answered Severus, earning a look of confusion from Abby as she glanced up.

"What, why... Was my family found?" Abby asked in a frightened whisper. He knew that she didn't want to go back to them, not if they were ones that inflicted all the injures that were on her when they first found her.

"No," Severus said, and wasn't surprised at the sigh of relief she had at that news. "But..." This was his last chance to stop before it went too far... "But I'd like to give you one," he finally said, almost stumbling over his words, as simple as they seemed.

"I don't get it, Mr. Severus," said Abby with a tilt of her head.

Straightening, Severus took a moment to gather his thoughts before saying, "A family, I mean. I have made plans with the Headmaster to become you're legal guardian. And if a year goes by and no one claims you, I'd like to adopt you. If you have no problem with it, of course."

A long minute of unnerving silence filled with the air, making Severus wonder if she was horrified or just shocked. He was about ready to stand up and leave when Abby finally spoke up. "You wanna adopt... me?" she asked with a squeak towards the end, her green eyes wide as they could go.

"Only if you want me too," Severus said. "After all, you'll be the one stuck with me, not the other way around -"

The breath was suddenly knocked out of him as Abby somehow managed to leap out of bed and tackle him, her arms wrapping around his neck in an attempt to strangle him. It was all Severus could to make sure that they both didn't topple over and hit the ground, let alone get air back into his lungs.

"For the love of Merlin, Abigail," said Severus when he could finally breathe again. "Are you trying to kill us both..." he trailed off when he finally heard the sound of soft sniffling, and now he could feel the tears that were soaking his robes. "Is the idea of me adopting you so bad?" he asked dryly, all while trying to figure out what the girl was crying about.

"You _- hiccup -_ really want me, Mr. Sev'rus?" Abby asked, her sobbing making it hard for him to understand her and causing her to slip into the old version of his nickname. "Really?"

Sighing, Severus wrapped his arms around Abby and held her against his chest, revealing the pressure around his neck when she moved her hands to clutch at his robes. "Is that such a surprise to you, Abigail? That someone might want you to become part of their family?"

Then he stopped himself, feeling like an idiot. Of course it was. Up to the point that she arrived at Hogwarts, she had clearly come from a family that wasn't kind to her to the point of beating her and causing her to hide any memory of them behind a mental wall. And while some of the teachers and students at Hogwarts had become her friends, none of them had taken the chance to become her guardian when they first had the chance.

Him included.

"I'm sorry that I didn't do this sooner," apologized Severus. "If I had, we could have avoided this whole kidnapping incident." He didn't dare mention how close she had been to becoming food for a clan of blood thirsty vampires. "I wasn't ready."

"How come _- sniff -_ you're ready now?" Abby asked as she looked up at him with red tinted eyes.

Not sure how to answer that at first, Severus took a moment before saying, "I believe that I've realized what is truly important to me. But believe me when I say, I truly want you to be a part of my family, and I want... to become your father, if you'll let me."

"You wanna be my daddy?" Abby said softly, her eyes wide again.

"Yes."

Nodding slowly, Abby rested her forehead against his chest, and didn't have to see her face to tell that she was smiling brightly. "I'd really like you to be my daddy," she said in a whisper.

And Severus felt like his heart had skipped a few beats.

* * *

><p>Curled up in the infirmary bed, Abby couldn't stop smiling. Mr. Severus was going to become her guardian! He had left her about an hour ago after she had finished crying, saying that he would go up the Headmaster's office in the morning to start filling out the paperwork.<p>

But before he left, Mr. Severus made her promise not to tell anyone till everything was finished, and giving his own promise to her again that he really did want to become her guardian, and if everything worked out, her parent.

Her father. Her daddy.

Smiling brightly again, Abby could help but giggle in happiness, trying to making sure she didn't get too loud in case Madam Pomfrey could hear her. She was going to be part of a family.

But what if she did something wrong?

Abby felt her smile start to slip away as her happy feelings were soon replaced by fears and doubts. What if she did something wrong, like make him upset? He could get angry at her over something, anything, and decided that he didn't want her, not anymore. He would hurt her, hit her like her old family did.

Or worse. He would get rid of her.

He send her to the orphanage.

Burying her face in the pillow, Abby promised herself before she fell asleep that she wouldn't never, ever, do anything to make her new daddy mad. Because she didn't want to loose him again. Not when she just got back to him.

When she woke up the next morning to Miss Poppy bringing her breakfast, she didn't remember anything about the dream she had of a women with eyes like grass and a man with wild brown hair, promising her that everything would be alright.


	13. Fears

**Fears**

* * *

><p>Sighing, Severus set aside his quill, stretching out his cramped hand. He was finally finished filling out the paperwork to become Abigail's temporary guardian until the necessary year was up and he could legally adopt her. He had been signing things for more the an hour for the third straight day in a row. It was as if the Ministry thought you weren't worth to become a guardian unless you went through signing a stack of papers that was as high as he was tall.<p>

Secretly, he almost regretted his somewhat rash decision to be Abigail's legal guardian. Almost, because the potion master feared he might do as poor a job as his parents had down with him. Not that he would ever hit the girl in anger, or at least he prayed he wouldn't, but he also knew there was more to raising a child than simply supplying a few material comforts and necessities. Could he be what Abigail needed? Did he _want_ to be a father figure to a five year old girl?

Leaning back, Severus closed his eyes and wondered if he could get away with taking a nap in the middle of the day. At least it was Friday, and he didn't have to worry about students bothering him until at least after dinner time. And he didn't have anything to do till Abby arrived in a few hours, who had now been given a clean bill of health now that she gained back her weight and energy and was to stay with him.

"Severus?"

Damn.

Mentally cursing himself, Severus stood and turned to his fireplace, kneeling in front of it and nodding. "Hello, Lucius," he, raising an eyebrow. "What can I do for you today?"

"Would it be so much of a surprise if I said nothing?" sneered the man, tinted green from the flames that harmlessly licked his face. "But if you must know, Narcissa has insisted that I invite you over for dinner tonight. Says we need to check and make sure you're actually eating. And not for the first time, I agree with her. I haven't see you in person since Christmas, and you've only talked with me once since then. What is going on, Severus, that's kept you so busy?"

"I actually work for a living, for one," said Severus with a roll of his eyes, deliberately leaving out the fact that he been kept busy by a certain little girl. "And then there are the many potions I'm working on -"

"All of that meaning you need a break," Lucius interrupted. "Come over tonight at six for drinks, and dinner will be a seven as usual."

"That will be impossible, Lucius," said Severus, trying to give a legitimate reason not to go. "I'm having a guest over tonight." If one could think of Abigail as a guest.

"Bring them along," said his friend, waving off his excuse. "Narcissa would be happy to see that you actually talk with others beside your students and colleagues." Lucius fixed him with a look. "It isn't a student or a professor, is it?"

"No, its not." That certainly was truthful.

"Good. Then we will see you and your guest at six." And with a nod of farewell, Lucius disappeared, the green flames fading to their original orange-red colour.

Standing up, Severus groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. This was not good. He wasn't ready to inform his friends about his new ward. Especially with their feelings about Muggleborns and certain Half-bloods, never mind the fact that no one for certain knew of her blood. And while he was good with friends with them and godfather to their son, Draco, he wasn't certain how they would treat Abigail, and how she would react to them.

Pushing those thoughts away for now, Severus gathered up the paperwork he had been working on minutes ago and got them ready to send off to Dumbledore, who would give them to his Ministry contact.

"You have visitors," said the Slytherin portrait sometime later, just as Severus managed to force all the papers into a slim box, making it easier for transportation. "The matron and that girl. Shall I let them in?"

"Please do."

"Mr. Severus!" said Abby happily as she raced into the room, wrapping her arms around his stomach. "Thank you for letting me stay here!" She wrinkled her nose. "Madam Pomfrey's real nice, but it's not fun staying in the infirmary."

"The infirmary is not suppose to be fun, Abby," chided Pomfrey as she followed. "Otherwise, students would want to get sick more often." She set down Abby's small trunk, which held all her possessions, and smiled at him as Abby ran over to the chair where her toy, Mr. Dragon, was sitting. "She's gaining back her weight, and other wise seems in good health."

"I'm sensing a 'but'," said Severus dryly.

Pomfrey rolled her eyes. "But, she did just go through a traumatic experience, the second in less then a year. I'd watch her carefully for the next few days." She gave a brief hug. "Good luck, Severus," she with a knowing look before leaving them alone.

"Alright, young lady," said Severus, motioning for his new ward to sit down in her chair. "There are a few things we need to go over. Rules for you staying here with me." He held up a single finger. "The first and most important rule. You are not allowed to wander off unless you've informed me or Queenie beforehand where you are going." Another finger. "Second, you are not allowed in my lab unless I am with you." A third finger. "No going outside unless you are accompanied by an adult or at least a fifth year. Meaning that you can go with Miss Hammond or Mr. Fleming, if you wish and they are willing to take you. Understand?"

"Yes, Mr. Severus, sir," said Abby with a nod of her head.

"Now, there are some other things." Severus held up four fingers. "Schoolwork, chores, rewards, and punishments. But we will talk about those later."

"P-Punishments?" whispered Abby, pressing herself into the chair and clutching Mr. Dragon.

Sighing, Severus picked her up. "Yes punishments. But I think there's someone I need to talk to before I decide what. Just follow the rules I have so far, and everything will be alright. Now, there's one more thing. Friends of mine, the Malfoys, have invited us to dinner tonight. Would you like to come? They have a boy your age." More or less, since they didn't exactly how old she was.

Biting her bottom lip, Abby nodded after a thought. "I'd like to meet your friends, Mr. Sev... Um... What do I call you now?" she asked suddenly. "I mean, since you're gonna adopt me and all..."

Severus blinked. He didn't think of that. "Err... What do you want to call me?" he said, stalling for time.

A light pink blush on her cheek, Abby buried her face in his robes. "Can I call you... call you my daddy?" she mumbled.

Another blush dusted Severus' cheeks, and he cleared his voice before saying, "I...I would like that. But maybe not outside of the room, at least until the paperwork goes through. Alright?"

Lifting her head up, Abby smiled, for a moment, Severus swore he saw something very familiar in her face. "Yes... Daddy."

And in Severus chest, something fluttered, like someone had transfigured his heart into a butterfly for a short moment. And as his thin lips twitched up into a small smile, he decided that he would like to have that feeling again, sometime very soon. "Now, why don't we look at your new room, mm?" he said as he stood, shifting Abby so that he was holding her in his arms.

"I have my own room?" asked Abby with clear surprise.

"Of course." Carrying her to the room that McGonagall had (unfortunately) helped him with the day before, he pushed it open, almost smiling as he heard Abby's gasp of shock. "Do you like it?"

It was an average sized room that Hogwarts had made suddenly appear the day that Abby returned to Hogwarts after her kidnapping, as if it knew what Severus had planned. The walls were a warm green, a colour that Severus picked despite McGonagall's glare, and the furniture was all a stained dark brown. A four posted bed, much like the beds that the students had, was in the center of the room, decorated with a bed spread that was pink with green accents, suggested by the old Transfiguration Professor. On one side of the room was a small desk and chair, on the other was a series of small bookshelves that sat next to a charmed window that also a had seat that would hold whatever she wanted inside it. A trunk for toys was placed at the end of her bed, and a wardrobe sat near the door, to be filled with clothes that they would have to buy soon, with whatever else she would need. The room was finished with a rocking chair on corner, on the off chance that Severus would have to sit with her in case of a nightmare. He remembered his mother doing just that...

"Its... its all mine?" Abby said in a whisper.

"Did you think I would let you sleep in the guest room all the time?" Severus shook his head. "Please, every child needs their own - ack!" Arms had been flung around his neck, so tight that he almost couldn't breathe, and the stuffed dragon once in Abby's arms bounced to the floor. "Child, I need air!"

"Thank you, thank you, thank you," said Abby happy, sniffling as she tried not to cry. "I love it so much. Thank you, Daddy."

Sighing even as his heart felt strange again, Severus hugged the girl gently. "You're welcome, Abby."

* * *

><p>"Child, its time to go," Severus called a few hours later, running a hand over his robes. They were finer they what he was use to, but Narcissa would have a fit if he didn't wear them.<p>

"Coming!" Racing into the room, Abby stopped in front of him, smiling. "Do I look pretty, Mr. Severus?" she asked, twirling on the spot for him. She wore a dark green dress that went well with her eyes - to the dismay of the Head of Gryffindor, he was sure, since it was a Slytherin color.

"You look acceptable," Severus stated, and Abby smiled brightly. "Now come along, we can't be late."

"Are your friends nice?" Abby asked as Severus lead her through Hogwarts, to the Apparition point since they wouldn't be able to use Floo travels to go anywhere outside the castle unless they went to Dumbledore's office. And he'd rather not do that.

"You'll find out, won't you?" said Severus as he reached the edges of the wards. He picked her up, not trusting the girl quite yet to hold on during the Apparation. "Now, hold on tight. And make sure to keep your eyes and mouth closed. If you feel sick at all when we exit, tell me. Understand?"

In answer, Abby buried her face in his shoulder and nod. "I understand."

"Good." Clearing his throat, Severus spun on the spot, and with a tug to his navel, they were off.

A few moments later, Severus was glad when he landed on the edge of the Malfoy Manor, the spinning world around him coming to a halt. He immediately look to the girl in his arms. "Are you alright?" he asked Abby, who hadn't lifted her head yet.

"Don't feel so good," Abby mumbled.

Cradling Abby with only one arm, which was easy to do with her still being so light, Severus grabbed a vial of stomach soother from within his robes, brought exactly for this purpose. "Here," he said, holding it out to her once he removed the cork. "Drink this – slowly." As she did that, he started the trek up to the front doors. "And if you start to feel sick later, tell me at once."

Abby nodded as she sipped at the potion, grimacing a few times.

The doors opened before he even had a chance to knock. "Missi welcomes Master Snape and guest!" squeaked the house-elf as Abby finished off her potion, the creature dressed in a pillowcase with the Malfoy symbol - a black snake intertwined in a large silver M. "Please come in and Dobby will take your cloaks.

"Just a moment." Severus gently let Abby down on the hard wood floor, pulling out his wand and banishing both the now empty vial and any dust they might have gained from traveling before helping her out of her cloak. "Now I know you will behave, but I don't want you to let their son, Draco, push you around. He's a bit... spoiled. Alright?"

Abby nodded.

"Good." Severus handed the other house-elf, Dobby he thought, their cloaks. "Be careful with these," he ordered, and the house-elf nodded rapidly before squeaking that he would.

"I will take Master Snape and guest to Master Malfoy and family?" asked Missi.

"Lead on, Missi."

"Yes, Master Snape!" said the house-elf with a bow. "Please follow me!" With a snap of her fingers, the nearby doors shut behind them without a sound, and Dobby disappeared with their cloaks.

Following Miss the house-elf, Severus watched as Abby glanced around with wide eyes, sometimes even gasping at the marvelous halls that made up Malfoy Manor. The many paintings that decorated the walls looked down at her, ancestors of his friend, mystical beasts, famous places. Marble busts, priceless items. But Severus knew that they were all for show. They were things that were collected over many generations, and this generation didn't care about them.

"In heres, Master Snape!" Missy squeaked, snapping her fingers and opening the doors to the living room. Inside sat three people with blonde hair, all different shades, from light to dark. The two males, Lucius and his son, both shared bright grey eyes, eyes of the storms that their personalities were like, always changing, and yet there was always a calm before their anger. Sitting across from them was Narcissa, with eyes like rain, sometimes seeming heartless and cold, but always giving. They were bright, like suns, while their two guest were dark like the nighttime sky. Almost total opposites.

"Severus, you came!" said Narcissa in delight when she spotted him.

As Severus expected, Abby hid behind his robes almost instantly.

"Uncle Severus!" The platinum blonde boy leapt down from the couch with a large smile and raced towards him. Severus braced himself as Draco wrapped his arms around his legs. "You came!"

"Hello, Draco," said Severus with a small smile. "Of course I came. And while I am happy to see you, please, compose yourself - I do have a guest."

Scrambling back, Draco had a faint blush on his cheeks and an apology on his tongue when he frowned, probably looking for the adult that came with his godfather. When Abby peeked out momentarily, hiding again after she saw him, his godson tried to look around Severus without moving from his spot. "Who's that?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

"That's a good question, son," said Lucius as he stood and came over, a drink in hand and an eyebrow raised at the little girl hiding behind him. "Who is _that_, Severus?"

"My guest, of course," drawled Severus. He placed a hand on Abby's shoulder and gently pulled her into view, who let him even as she shrank under the many gazes. "Lucius, Narcissa, and Draco, I would like you to meet my new ward, Abigail."

There was silence for a long moment, until Narcissa finally stood, dressed in light blue robes that moved easy as water when she glided over. "Its a pleasure to meet you, Abigail," she said with a warm smile. She glanced to him. "Oh, Severus, she is just adorable!"

Blushing, Abby tried to ignore the two male Malfoy's gazes, studying her, as she answer, "Its nice to meet you, Mrs. Malfoy. Um, thank you for inviting me over for dinner. Its really nice of you. And you can call me Abby."

Practically ready to squeal in happiness, Narcissa managed to compose herself as she grabbed her son and gently pushed him forward, until he almost ran into Abby. "This is my son, Draco. Dear, why don't you show Abby around while we talk? Just make sure your back before dinner, or I'll send a house-elf after you."

"Yes, mother," said Draco with a huff, sounding like it was the last thing he wanted to do. "Please, follow me," he still said dutifully.

"Be care what you show her, Draco," said Severus. "Abigail know little about the wizarding world."

"Alright..."

"Go on, child," said Severus, giving her a nudge. "Follow Draco."

Looking up to Severus, who gave a little nod of assurance, Abby nodded in return and trailed after his godson, glancing around nervously.

"I don't know what the reasons were for this... sudden decision, but congratulations, Severus," Narcissa said as she pulled him into a brief hug. "Abby is such a sweet little girl." Her eyes sparkled, much like Albus' when he had an idea, and for some reason, Severus felt the urge to apologize to Lucius. "I'm sure they will get along just beautifully."

"I'm also a bit curious about this," said Lucius, his eyes flickering with suspicion as he handed Severus a drink and motioned for him to take a seat with them on the couch. "Never did I expect for you to take in a... child. Did Dumbledore somehow arrange this?" he asked with hesitation. "I can certainly imagine him doing something like this."

"He may have had a hand in this in the beginning," admitted Severus as he sat down, taking a sip of his drink. "But no, he did not force me into this decision, I came into it all on my own." Carefully, he explained how Abby was found outside the walls of Hogwarts, how she almost froze to death, and so on. While Lucius was silent through out almost the entire tale, Narcissa made appropriate sound at the right times, shaking her head in horror. He only paused to sip his wine, or when he had to tell them about Meyer's plan, which both the Malfoys reacted to with anger.

"How awful," said Narcissa when he was finished, ending with his plan to adopt Abby. "That poor girl."

"And Abigail has shown no sign of gaining back her memories?" asked Lucius curiously.

"Nothing of significance," said Severus with a shake of his head. "There were a few times were she said something promising, but she had no idea where it came from. The girls mind if like a fortress, hiding all her horrible past memories behind a brick wall."

"Well, I think you're doing a wonderful thing," said Narcissa, patting his forearm with a gentle smile. "And if you ever need any help, don't hesitate to ask us."

"Actually, that's one of the reason's I decided to come tonight." Severus fiddled with drink, trying to figure out how to say what he wanted. "This is my first time taking care of child that wasn't a student," he went on. "I was wondering if you could give me some advice. I'm hardly "Father of the Year" materiel after all."

"Oh, of course, Severus," said Narcissa with some glee. "I would love to give you some tips!"

Suddenly, Severus wished he hadn't asked; the look in those blue eyes was a little frightening. Still, he asked his questions and was happy to learn some things from Narcissa, with even a few things from Lucius. All was going well until the doors opened, and an house-elf came barging into the room, dragging in a child behind him.

"Master and Mistress Malfoy, young Master doing bad things!"

* * *

><p>"Um... you have a very nice house, Draco."<p>

Huffing, Draco continued to ignore at Abigail - or as she liked to be called, _Abby_, who sighed sadly and bowed her head as she returned to look at the books. He had disobeyed his mother - something he hoped she didn't find out about - and had only taken the guest on a tour to the library. Then he had flopped onto the couch and ignored her, which wasn't very hard since she was very quiet, barely talking at all. She was almost a mute.

Maybe she was a _Muggleborn_.

While he didn't like disobeying his mother, Draco disliked the girl even more. Uncle Severus was his! And now Abby was trying to take him away! He had wondered why his uncle had been ignoring him and his family for the last month and a half, and now he knew the reason! It was all because of this stupid girl! She was probably taking up all his time, keeping his godfather away from him!

Crossing his arms, Draco sneered at Abby, who was still staring up at the bookcases He had to get her away from his uncle before she took him away from her forever! But how?

A minute later, a wicked grin appeared on Draco's face as a plan came to mind. It might now have been perfect, but it was the best he could do. And that was good enough. Replacing his grin with a sincere looking smile, he spoke up and said, "Hey, do you wanna see something really wicked?"

Looking back towards him, Abby tilted her head to the side, looking a little curious. "Like what?" she asked.

"Uh... its something magical," Draco spoke truthfully as he leaped down from the couch. "Come on, let me show you before we we have to go to dinner."

"Alright..." said Abby, sliding off the chair she had sat herself in, carefully smoothing out her robes before silently following him out of the library. Draco glanced at her a moment, noticing how small she was, even though they were suppose to be the same age. Despite that, she kind a pretty actually, for a girl anyway. Maybe he was wrong and she was pure blood, and perhaps she had some elf in her blood like he had Veela, way back in their lines, before their -great-grandparents were even born.

The two were quiet as they made their way through the halls, Draco leading the way to another room. One room he wasn't suppose to enter until his parents said it was safe, but he had to get rid of the girl before she stole his uncle away.

"In here," Draco said, opening it and gesturing her inside. Abby hesitated, and he sneered. "What are you, afraid? Come on."

"It looks scaring in there," Abby whispered.

"Just come on," said Draco, practically yanking her inside when he grabbed her by the arm. She resisted only a little, pulling her arm away from him once they were both in the room. "See, its not that bad in here." He looked to the nearby standing wardrobe. "Go open that."

"Why?" asked Abby, with now more hesitation. "What inside?"

"I told you, something really wicked." Draco pushed her towards it, and she stumbled forward until she could reach out and touch it. "Go on, open it!"

Pausing, Abby glanced up at the wardrobe. "Are you sure..."

"Of course I'm sure," Draco almost snapped. "Just open it!"

Hesitantly, Abby reached forward with a shaky hand and slowly opened the wardrobe door, showing the that the inside was pitch black. "I don't see anything, Draco..."

A dark chuckle filled the air, and out of the wardrobe stepped out a familar tall figure, dressed all in black with a cruel look on his face that Draco had never seen before. Abby stepped back, eyes wide in fear and confusion. "Daddy?"

"Don't call me that, you stupid girl," sneered Severus. "I am not your father." He stepped forward, startling Abby to step back again, only this time she fell onto her bum. "I will never be your father. Ever."

"Bu-But you said you wanted to adopt me," whimpered Abby. "Dad -"

A hand whipped out, and even Draco flinched as a slapping sound filled the air, Abby's head snapping to the side as she cried out in pain. "I said not to call me that," hissed Severus as he towered over her, and for a moment looked like a large, shadow that shouldn't have looked so solid, but he did. "You disgust me. You're weak, always running away and crying. I don't want you anymore. Get out of my sight, you little brat!"

Fat tears rolling down her face, Abby sobbed as she scrambled up and ran off, holding her injured check in her hand. As she disappeared, Draco paled, now starting to realize what he done, letting a boggart loose, Severus turned to him, eyes glowing as he started to change into what he most feared -

"Yous will not hurt Master Draco!" A snap of long fingers, and the boggart was shoved back into the wardrobe, the doors slamming shut the moment it was inside. As Draco breathed a sigh of relief, a hand wrapped around his arm and started to drag him down the hall. "Must take Master Draco to Master and Mistress Malfoy!"

"Let go of me, Dobby!" yelped Draco, struggling to get free from the house-elf's grasp, which was surprisingly strong. "I demand you let me go!"

"Dobby is sorry, Master Draco," squeaked Dobby. "But Masters say that Dobby must bring young Master to them when young Master do something naughty." The house-elf whimpered. "Dobby will be punishing himself later for pulling young Master. Dobby is sorry."

"Let me go, let me go -" Draco continued to repeat as he was dragged along. Why wasn't Dobby listening to him? He always listened to him before!

With a snap, Dobby opened the doors to the living room, interrupting the conversation between his parents and his uncle. "Master and Mistress Malfoy, young Master doing bad things!" he cried. "Dobby is sorry, Dobby will iron his hands!"

"What is going on here?" Lucius asked as he stood. "Dobby, an explanation, now!"

"Young Master Draco went into the bad room and opened the bad wardrobe!" sobbed Dobby, and Draco winced as he was tattled on. "Dobby is sorry, Dobby should have watched young Master better!"

"Draco Lucius Malfoy, what did you do?" Narcissa asked sharply as she stood and grabbed her son by the ear, shooing off the house-elf so that he disappeared with a 'pop'. "Did you open the wardrobe with the boggart in it? The one I told you not to go near till we could get rid of it?!" Her grip tightened and Draco yelped out in pain. "I can not believe you, you could have been seriously harmed!"

"Ow, Mum, let go!" cried Draco. "You're hurt me!"

"I'll do more then twist your ear, young man -"

"Draco, where's Abigail?" said Severus suddenly, standing up. "Why isn't she with you?" As Draco paled for the second time that night, his uncle cursed. "Damn it, Draco, what happened to Abby?"

"Um..." Draco gulped, they yelped again when his mother twisted his ear once more. "She saw the boggart, and it turned into you, Uncle Severus!" he rambled. "Then she ran off! I don't know where she went!"

Paling, Severus didn't say another word - his lips pressed into a thin white line before he quickly left the room, off to search for Abby, Draco was sure. His stormy eyes burned with tears, finally realizing what he done was wrong. This wasn't going to let him keep his uncle, it was just going to push him away.

"I don't know why you did that, Draco," said Lucius in a calm tone, even as he gave his child a stern look, "but believe me son, your mother won't be the only one punishing you tonight."

"I - I just didn't want that girl to steal my Uncle Severus," sobbed Draco, unwilling letting fat tears running down his cheeks. "She was gonna take him away from me!"

"Oh, Draco," the young boy heard over his sobs. A familiar pair of arms wrapped around him, lifting him up and cradling him gently. Any other time, Draco would have protested being treated like a baby, but now, he just buried his face in his mothers shoulder, loud cries filling the room. All he wanted now was his Uncle to forgive. He would even he would promise never to get Abby hurt again. Anything to get his Severus back.


	14. Hot Chocolate

**Hot Chocolate**

* * *

><p>Sweeping through the hallways of Malfoy Manor, Severus glanced down at his wand, which was balanced carefully in the palm of his hand, before turning down another corridor. The moment he learned of what Draco did, he couldn't help but be furious with his godson had done. Setting a boggart on Abby, what was he thinking?! It seemed that he had inherited his father's tendency to do stupid things without any second thought.<p>

But worry and panic pushed that to the back of his mind, which caused him to race out to look for his new ward, already know that she was hiding in some cupboard, crying her eyes out.

_She saw the boggart, and it turned into you!_

Severus couldn't help but shudder. Abby's worse fear was him? Why? Did he do something to her? If he did, what was it? He had to find her, not only for her own safety now, but to find the reason why he was her worst fear...

The wand his hands started to spin wildly, causing Severus to pause as he waited for it to stop and show him which way to go. After a moment, it came to a sudden stop, pointing to his side, which was of course, a cupboard. After a brief moment of relief, he grabbed from the handle to the door, which just rattled his hand. Locked. Probably with accidental magic. "Abigail, open the door," he called out.

A muffled whimper. "Please. I'll leave you alone, I promise. Just please don't hurt me again."

Cursing under his breath, Severus jabbed his wand at the lock, preforming a silent Unlocking Charm and letting the door swing open. As it opened, letting some light come in, he heard Abby cry again, scooting back until she audibly hit a nearby shelf, items on it rattling. "No, don't hurt me, Mr. Severus, please -"

With another silent spell, a ball of light appeared at the end of Severus' wand, flooding the small room, an old study maybe, with light. Abby was huddled against the far bookshelf filled with dusty antiques, shaking as she stared at him with wide eyes. Her left cheek was a dark red and swollen, tears rolling over it.

"Oh, child," said Severus with a twinge of pain. He walked forward and knelt down a few feet away from her, ignoring Abby's flinch, and shook his head. "I'm so sorry. Never did I..." Never did he think that Draco could do this to her. "Draco told me what happened. I didn't hurt you, Abby, I promise."

"Wh-What? But... But I saw -"

"Did I say earlier that I would never hurt you intentionally?" Severus gently told her. "I meant that, Abby."

"But you hit me," cried Abby. "I saw you!" She buried her head in her hands. "You told me to go away, that you didn't want me to call you Da-Daddy anymore."

"No, I didn't," said Severus with a shake of his head. "What you saw was a boggart. Its a magical creature that can change into what we fear the most to frighten us. Remember me telling you about it before?" he said, reminding her about the time he read her a book about magical creatures, the boggart being one of them.

As Abby lifting her head up, Severus was a little disappointed to see the realization in her eyes, as if she finally understood. "Why are you afraid of me?" he asked gently. "What did I do to make you fear me?"

"I-I was afraid you'd change you mind," Abby admitted in a whisper. "That you'd say that you didn't want me anymore."

Sighing, a mixture of relief and sadness, Severus opened his arms to his new ward. "Come here," he said simply, and braced himself as Abby scrambled into his arms, almost knocking him over. "Believe me, Abby, I would never say that. I chose to adopt you. Nothing is going to make me change my mind." He glanced down at her. "Unless you don't want me anymore -"

"No, no!" Abby buried her face in his chest. "I'd really like it if you were my daddy! I'm sorry, I'll never think that again!"

Chuckling, Severus pressed a brief kiss to the top of her head, and she looked up at him with a slight blush. "Come on then, child," he said as he stood up, "lets get you fixed up. I have a jar of cream for bruises somewhere in my robes."

"Sir? Why would Draco take me to a boggart?" asked Abby hesitantly, stumbling over the creatures name. "I know he don't like me, but that was so scary!"

"I'm sorry to say that I don't know why my godson did that," answered Severus "But I'm certain at this very moment that his mother is giving him a stern talking to. What he did was very wrong, not only because you were frightened, but because both of you could have been hurt. Boggarts are dangerous, depending on what you fear the most. If you fear, for examples, snakes, the boggart will turn into a snake, and if it was poisonous, you could die if it bit you."

"Oh..."

Abby was silent as they made their way down the large halls, but finally spoke up before they reached the living room. "Is he gonna get punished?"

"Most likely," said Severus.

To his surprise, Abby flinched. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get him in trouble," she mumbled.

"Now what are you going on about, Abigail?" asked Severus, stopping in front of the living room doors. "You didn't get anyone in trouble - Draco did that all on his own." He shook his head, disappointed in his godson. "He was foolish, acting as an arrogant prince would, he will be punished for it. And of course, he will apologize to you. Understand?"

Nodding, Abby rested her good cheek against his shoulder. "I'm sorry that I ran away, Da... You sure I can still call you daddy?" she asked hesitantly.

"I said so, didn't I?"

"I'm sorry that I ran away, Daddy," finished Abby. "I was just so scared."

"Completely understandably. But next time something happens, if your scared, or if someone bullies you, come to me immediately, alright?" said Severus.

"Yes, sir."

"Good." Pushing open the doors, Severus announced to his friends, "I found her."

"Thank goodness," said Narcissa with a sigh, Draco in her lap and his face buried in her shoulder. "I was worried - goodness, what happened to her cheek?" she asked with concern, and her son lifted up his head to see what she was talking about, grey eyes and pale cheeks red from crying.

"Missi!" The house-elf appeared a moment later at his mistresses call. "Some hot chocolate for our guest, with plenty of whipped cream." Chocolate was a cure to more then just being around a Dementor.

"The boggart hit her." Setting Abby down on the couch as the house-elf did as it was told, Severus reached into his robes, pulling out a tiny cream for bruises, which he enlarged with a tap of his wand. He always carried a small supply of shrunken medical potions with him, especially since children seemed to managed to hurt themselves all the time. "It should be fine once I put this on." Screwing the top off, he dipped his long fingers inside and proceed to smear a large glop of it on the swollen cheek. Abby winced at the cold cream, but sighed a moment later as the pain started to fade away.

"Better?" asked Severus when he was done, cleaning his fingers with a quick spell and placing the jar away.

"Uh huh, thanks," said Abby, her cheek now a light pink and no longer swollen.

"Severus, why don't you come here for a second," said Narcissa, her voice calm but her eyes filled with disappointment and sadness. "I believe Draco needs to talk with you."

Giving his friend a nod, Severus said to Abby, "I'll be back in a moment." But as he was turning to leave, he felt a tug on his robes, and glanced back to see green eyes staring up at him, wide with fear.

"Don't be too mad at him," Abby said in a whisper as her tiny hand clung to his robes, her gaze flickering to Draco. "Please?"

Not for the first time today, Severus sighed as he gently took back his robes. "I won't, Abigail. I promise." He waved to the house-elf that just appeared, with a large cup of hot chocolate that was topped with a mountain of whipped cream in its hands. "Drink your hot chocolate, and I'll be back soon."

Draco was sitting next to his mother on the couch, while Lucius was at the fireplace, talking with someone about removing the boggart as quickly as possible if Severus understood correctly. Turning his attention towards his godson, who shrank as he came closer, Severus crossed his arms and fixed him with a stern look.

"What were you thinking, Draco, when you set a _boggart_ on my ward? Both of you could have been seriously harmed."

"I know," mumbled Draco. "I just wanted to scare her away."

"Why on earth would you want to do that?" Severus knew that Draco didn't like Abigail, but he couldn't see a reason why. She hadn't done anything to him.

"Cause..." Suddenly growing defiant, Draco crossed his arms and pouted. "Cause she's gonna steal you from me! You're _my_ Uncle Severus, not hers! She can't have you!"

Ah. And there was the problem. Severus and Narcissa exchanged a glance. Jealousy.

"I am not a toy to be fought over, Draco," said Severus sharply, causing the boy to flinch. "I am not only your uncle now, I am Abigail's guardian, and hopefully in the near future, her father. She's going to be a part of my life, and hopefully, yours as well. She needs friends her own age, one of the reasons I brought her tonight. And instead of doing the right thing and offering a hand of friendship, you scared her with her worst fear."

"But ever since she came, you haven't come over," argued Draco. "She's gonna take up all your time, and - and you'll never have time to see me!" Sniffling, Draco rubbed at his nose. "And you'll forget me," he finished with a whisper.

With a mental sigh, wondering how he could deal with this calmly, Severus placed a hand on Draco's shoulder, causing him to look up at him. "Besides the fact that you can't just scare people you don't like, Abigail is not stealing me away, Draco," he said gently. "Yes, she will take up some of my time, but so does my job. I didn't mean to be gone so much. Things, besides Abigail, happened." Severus smiled. "And forget about my little dragon of a godson? Never. You will always have a place in my heart, even if sometimes I don't have the time to come visit you. Alright?"

Nodding, Draco wiped his nose on the back of his hand. "Alright... Are you terribly anger with me, Uncle Severus?"

"A bit," admitted Severus.

"Are you gonna punish me too, Uncle Sev? Mum's gonna take away my broom for a month," said Draco quickly, even as he wrinkled his nose in disappointment. "Right, Mum?"

"Yes. Plus, he's already had Lucius punish him as well," said Narcissa. "Five swats on the bottom and a stern talking too about doing idiotic things that might disgrace the family name."

A bright blush appeared on Draco's face in embarrassment.

"Well, it certainly sound like you've been punished," said Severus with a nod. "But, you can make it better by apologizing to Abigail."

Glancing up at his mother, who nodded in confirmation, Draco slid to floor and slowly made his way over to the other couch, while his uncle and mother watched. Abby, who was sipping her hot drink carefully, giggling softly as she used her now sticky fingers to eat up the whipped cream that dripped over the sides.

"Um, Abby?"

Blinking those large green eyes, Abby looked down at Draco. "Yes, Draco?"

His cheeks turning a dark pink, Draco stared at his feet as he mumbled, "I just wanted to say that I'm sorry... for setting that boggart on you. I was just... jealous, I guess."

"What? Of me? I don't... why?" asked Abby with a tilt of her head, clearly confused. "I don't have none of your pretty things, or such pretty parents." She sniffled. "You've got everything, and I haven't got anything so nice. Not even my Mr. Dragon is fancy like your things.""

"You've got Uncle Severus," pointed out Draco. "You get to be with him all the time. And I don't get to see him that much anymore. I guess... I just didn't want you to take Uncle Severus away from me."

"Oh... I guess I get that... I forgive you, then" said Abby with a shy smile, causing Draco to snap up his head and give her a wide eyed look.

"R-Really?"

"Yeah. I'd been jealous too if someone tried to take away Mr. Severus from me," said Abby with tiny nod. "I get it. So I forgive you."

"Uh... thanks?" said Draco hesitantly. He'd probably never meet someone who forgave him so quickly. And beside that, he usually he had to bribe his friends to forgive him, or their parents forced them to "be nice" again so they wouldn't loose the favor of the Malfoy family.

"Do-Do you wanna share this hot chocolate with me?" Abby asked, holding up her cup. "Its really sweet and warm. Its my favorite!"

"Uh... Alright." Joining her on the couch, Draco carefully took the mug from Abby's outstretched hands and took a carefully gulp. "Our house-elves make the best hot chocolate ever," he said, not noticing the white blob on the end of his nose. "My mum gives it to me sometimes when I have a bad dream."

"Draco, you got some whipped cream on your nose," pointed out Abby with a giggle.

"Huh?" Draco went cross eyed trying to find out what was supposedly on his nose.

Giggling again, Abby reached out and swiped off the cream to Draco's surprise. "Got it!" she said, popping her finger into her mouth without a second thought, even though it made her new friend turn red.

"They are so cute together," cooed Narcissa as the children continued to share the drink. "I do hope they get together when they're older. They would make lovely grandchildren."

"Is that all you care about, beautiful grandchildren?" asked Severus with a raised eyebrow after he held back a choked laugh.

"Of course not. But it certain is nice to dream," said Narcissa with a happy sigh. "Don't worry, Severus, I just want my baby boy to be happy. Oh, I must get a picture! It will perfect material to embarrass Draco with when he's older. Missi, get the camera!"

"Yes, Mistress, here it is!"

"I talked to McNair in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures," said Lucius as he came over. "He'll send someone over to get rid of the boggart as quickly as he can." He glanced over to the two children, who were chatting about something. "They became friends rather fast, didn't they?"

"It seems so. Narcissa is already planning their wedding," Severus chuckled, ignoring the look Narcissa gave him before she started snapping pictures.

"I'm not completely sure how I feel about some possible Muggleborn playing with our son," said Lucius slowly as Draco got whip cream on his nose again, though this time is was deliberate. And Severus wasn't surprised, he had actually expected this to pop up eventually. Especially when one knew his full history. He got ready to speak up, but he was beating to the punch, so to speak.

"Uh uh, not another word," said Narcissa as she lowered her camera, a sharp jab of her finger pointed towards her husband. "I know how you feel towards Muggles and Muggleborns, Lucius, and I understand your reasoning, but not this time. For one, we don't know what her heritage is, not that we should care that much since secondly, Draco has just made a friend, a lovely young girl who forgave him even though he set a boggart on her. She is, at the moment, the only friend that he gained without your help."

"But -"

"I don't want you to even count the Crabbe, Goyle, or Parkinson children," shot Narcissa. "They only play with him because their parents are afraid of us, with good reason, of course. Abby, on the other hand, is going to have Severus for a father, and he was no reason to be afraid of us. And there is also the fact that both of them will be around more often. So just ignore the fact that there might be a chance Abby's not pureblood and everything will be just fine. Understood?"

"... As you wish, my dear," finally said Lucius, admitting defeat before he even got the chance to fight.

"Good." Placing down her camera, Narcissa stood up, clapping her hands together. "Now, its time for dinner! Children, come along now!"

"I see why you married her," said Severus, the two men still a bit little stunned. "Though she can be scary when she wants to be. And she can certainly beat you down to size, something I don't see anyone else doing."

"Don't act like the same thing wouldn't happen to you," grumbled Lucius, even as he gave his wife a loving look.

"I won't lie, I'd probably act the same way if Narcissa turned on me," said Severus with a nod as he patted Lucius on the shoulder. "Now come on, old friend, lets see if we can get one of the house-elves to sneak us a bit more wine without your lovely wife knowing." She had a strict rule of only one glass before or after dinner, since Lucius didn't do well when drunk. He git very... loopy.

"I heard that!" called out Narcissa, and both the men chuckled before following her and the children.

Dinner was a nice, if not always quiet, affair. Since Abby didn't know much about the wizarding world, Draco spent most of his time explaining how Quidditch worked, a game he and his father were a little obsessed about. The adults talked about business, with Narcissa occasionally cooing over the two children, going on how she would get the most beautiful grandchildren from them, that they would have bright silver-blonde hair and emerald green eyes, or inky black hair with shining silver eyes. Severus and Lucius just rolled their eyes and went on with talking over her.

Eventually, the meal came to an end, finished off with tarts, and the group moved back the living room to continue talking, the room warm and cozy with a lit fire and soft music. Soon enough, both Draco and Abby predictably started to doze off, struggling to stay awake and yawning more then once.

"I think its best we go back to Hogwarts," said Severus with Abby closed her eyes and almost fell forward. He stood and bowed to his hosts. "Thank you for the meal and conversation. I'll make sure to let you know when the hearing is scheduled." Lucius had graciously agreed to speak at the inevitable hearing for him taking in Abby.

"It was our pleasure," said Lucius as they shook hands, his wife picking up Draco so she could put him to bed. "Come again soon, Narcissa worries about you so when we don't hear from you often."

"I'm not the only one," shot Narcissa. "Now come on, Draco, say goodbye to Abby, she has to go home."

"Good - _yawn_ - night, Abby," Draco mumbled, his eyes hardly open as he snuggled in his mothers arms.

"Night night, Dray," said Abby with a sleepy smile, rubbing her eyes to keep herself away. She looked up as Severus came over, yawning. "I'm really tired."

"I know, child," said Severus as he picked her up, letting her snuggle into his arms and even cling to his robes. "We're going home now."

Saying 'thank you' and 'goodbye' once more to his friends, Severus gathered his cloak from Dobby, and started walking to the apparition point, trying not to wake his ward. But it seem even exhaustion couldn't put her to sleep yet, as she looked up at him sleepily and said, "Your friends are nice, Mr. Severus. I like Draco." She yawned again. "Draco the Dragon, who set the scary not-Mr. Severus on me... But that's okay, we shared hot chocolate with lots of whipped cream and its - _yawn_ - all better now... What's Qu'ditch again?"

"You're rambling, little one," chuckled Severus as they passed the anti-Apparition barriers. "Now I'm going to need you to hold on, and warn me if you feel sick again, alright?"

"Uh huh..." Tiny arms wrapped around his neck, and Severus spun on the spot, returning them to Hogwarts in a matter of seconds. So sleepy, Abby didn't even complain about getting sick.

"Can we see a Qu'dittch match soon, Mr. Severus?" asked Abby in a mumble. "I wanna see one..."

"There is a match at the beginning of May," answered Severus. "Hufflepuff versus Slytherin. Perhaps we can go see it."

"Yay..."

By the time he reached the large enterance doors, though, Abby was sound asleep, already drifting off to dream about people flying on brooms and diving through clouds of whipped cream.

* * *

><p>Sipping at a fresh cup of hot chocolate that had a hint of fresh mint, all thanks to his personal house-elf, Dumbledore watched from his tower as Severus made his way inside Hogwarts, the young Abby cradled in his arms. It made the old man smile. He hadn't seen his former student this happy since he was with Lily. And he deserved to be happy, now that Voldemort was gone and his spy day's were over.<p>

Leaning back in his chair, Dumbledore glanced towards the sky, watching as the first snow since Christmas slowly coated the grounds. He had received a letter from the Darcy Thomson a few hours ago, about Severus. While she was more then willing to still let him take Abby in, there was still the matter that she didn't have a surname yet. Since Dumbledore (or more technically, Fawkes) had been the one to find her, plus the fact that he was Chief Warlock, they were giving him the chance to pick her new surname, and change her first name if he wished, since it wasn't official just yet.

Dumbledore mentally shook his head. No, he would tell them that Abigail would keep her original first name. It was special, after all, a name that both she and her soon to be guardian picked out together. But a surname...

After a moment of thought, Dumbledore smiled, setting down his cup of hot chocolate before fetching a fresh piece of paper. Using his special quill, made from one of Fawkes feathers, he started to write out his reply to the Special Victims Department.

_Miss Darcy Thomson,_

_I'm happy to hear that Potions Master Severus Snape is still eligible for the adoption of Miss Abigail Doe, and I thank you for the opportunity to give this young lady a new surname. After some careful thought and consideration, I have decided that it no surname should be given to her until her adoption with Potions Master Snape goes through. I hope this is satisfactory for you, and I hope to see you at the hearing._

_Signed,_

_Headmaster of Hogwarts and Chief Warlock,  
>Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore<em>

Sealing the letter in an envelope, stamped with the seal of Hogwarts, Dumbledore handed it off to his owl, since Fawkes refused to take his mail. "To Miss Darcy Thomson at the Special Victims Department in the Ministry of Magic, if you would, Pandora. And be careful, its starting to snow."

Hooting in answer, Pandora nipped at his fingers playfully before taking the letter and flying off.

Trilling, Fawkes flew over and landed on his shoulder, Dumbledore absentmindedly petting his head. He knew that no matter how much he wished, Severus would not give her his last name when he adopted her, since he had already mentioned once before that he would not continue the Snape line, that it would end with him.

Plus, when Voldemort returned, and Dumbledore knew he would, it would be harder for him to link Abigail with Severus if they didn't share the same last name. But maybe with a years time...

Picking up his mug again, Dumbledore inhaled the scent, which automatically relaxed him. Maybe not as much as sherbet lemon, but his stash would be low until he had some free time to go down to a Muggle candy story. He smiled. Maybe he could asked Severus to do it whenever he took Abby to London for shopping at Diagon Alley.

Humming a little song, Dumbledore sipped at his hot chocolate again, only to blink when he realized that it was suddenly missing a great amount. He looked to the bird on his shoulder, who was trying to look innocent and failing terribly. "You naughty bird. Be glad that you are magical, Fawkes, or that might make you very sick."

_'I don't know what you're talking about,'_ Fawkes seemed to say in a trill before flying back to his perch, hiding his head under his wing so he could go to sleep.

Chuckling, Dumbledore set the mug down. "I really should start this paperwork," he mumbled, staring at the stack that was sitting on his desk. "Before Minerva finds out that I've been slacking off."

Lifting up his head briefly, Fawkes made a noise that could only be described as a laugh.

"Oh, shush. I don't see you helping me." Ordering a fresh cup of hot chocolate from his personal house-elf, Dumbledore got back to work, smiling when he thought of how Severus would react when told that he would be personally choosing Abby's new surname.


	15. Neighbors

**Neighbors**

* * *

><p>"We have some new neighbors, Vernon."<p>

"Mm?"

"Yes, they moved in last week. Lovely little family from the looks of it..."

Standing on his tip toes so he could place the large plate of food in front of his uncle, Harry kept his gaze down even though he was a little interested. He couldn't remember anyone ever moving to Privet Drive before, though the house across from them had been empty for awhile time, since old Mrs. Keller died about half a year ago. She use to baby sit him when the Dursley's didn't want him.

Mrs. Keller also babysat Holly too.

Shuffling over to get Dudley's plate as Aunt Petunia continued to gossip about the new neighbors, Harry held back a sigh. It was now close to the end of March, more then three months had passed since Holly had disappeared. No one cared. Except for maybe Dudley, and only because he lost someone to bully. Still, he got over it quickly when he realized he know got to bully Harry twice as much. No one else noticed through. Who was there to notice, anyway? The school? His relatives had simply taken 'them' out and placed him in new school. And Mrs. Keller had died before Holly went missing. And he wasn't allowed to tell anyone about her, either. The Dursley's forbade him to even say her name now. They wanted him to forget her.

"Oi, boy!"

Wincing, Harry set down Dudley's plate before he turned to his uncle. "Yes, sir?"

"I don't want you speaking to our new neighbors," growled Vernon as he pierced one of his sausages, shoving into his mouth like an animal. "Understand?" he went on, spewing specks of meat at him. "I don't want you spreading your freakishness around them, so don't you even go near them."

"Yes, Uncle Vernon," said Harry dutifully.

"Good. Now what were you saying, Petunia?" Vernon asked his wife.

"That they had two children, a boy and a girl," said Petunia. "I think the older one, the girl, is about Dudley's age..."

Scrapping what was left of the breakfast he mostly made - his aunt didn't trust him with the pancakes they had ever Saturday morning yet - onto a small plate, Harry didn't bother sitting before shoveling his food down, fearing that Dudley might steal it, or worse, shove it to the floor.

"Hurry up and wash the dishes," spat Petunia just as he took the last bit of his small meal. "I'm inviting our new neighbor over today, so I want this place clean! And when you're done, you can spend the rest of the day in the garden."

"Yes, Aunt Petunia," said Harry, holding back a sigh. That's where she always sent him there whenever she had company over. That or the cupboard, and he would take the garden over that any day.

A few hours later, after washing the dishes, sweeping, and tidying up the living room, Harry sat on the backyard steps where he had been forced to stay, his chin resting in his hands as he breathed out heavily, letting his breathe turn into a white cloud in the cold air. At least it wasn't snowing today, it hadn't since January, so he was just wearing one of Dudley's old sweaters and trousers, both of them swamping him. But still, he shivered a little as the wind went through him.

Grimacing when he realized his vision was a little blurry, Harry took off the pair of glasses that were perched on his nose and wiped the lens off with his sweater. His Christmas 'present' this year was a pair of glasses that his Aunt Petunia had picked from the donation bin at the church. They were a bit beaten up, and had weren't the right prescription for him, but he still could see better then he had before. He wondered briefly how Holly would think of him with glasses.

His vision blurry, Harry was unprepared as something crashed into the backyard.

Startled out of his thoughts, Harry hastily put his glass back on, blinking in surprise as he took the one that had suddenly entered the Dursley's garden. It was a young girl, his age most likely, with chocolate brown hair that was now badly tangled, with leaves stuck in it from falling into the bush that sat near the stone fence that surrounded the backyard. Besides leaves, she was also smeared in dirt, with small scratches on her face.

"He-Hello?" asked Harry hesitantly.

The girls large brown eyes were glancing around with fear, and they only got bigger when she noticed him. "Oh, I'm sorry, I just..." She glanced behind. "I was just -"

"Oi, where'd ya go, Nosey?" called out a familar voice, and the girl stiffened.

Finally understanding, Harry stood and took her by the arm, leading her forward and gesturing her towards the nearby shed, where all the gardening supplies were stored. "Hide behind there," he whispered as she gave him another wide-eyed look. "I'll won't tell them where you are, alright?"

Nodding rapidly, the girl sprinted towards the shed, hiding behind it moments before the fence's gate swung open, and Dudley came home, with another boy not far behind him, who looked a lot like a rat. Harry just stood there, resisting the urge to look towards the shed. He did notice that they both had dirt on their hands, and he could only guess what they were doing.

Dudley glanced around, frowning. "Where did she go?" he mumbled to the other boy, who shrugged.

"Is something wrong, Dudley?" asked Harry innocently. "Did you fall?"

"None of yer bee's wax," said Dudley with a glare before stomping towards the house. "Come on, Piers, lets go inside, my Mum will give us cookies and soda."

"Right," said Piers as he followed, both of them clearly not caring that they were tracking dirt inside, and that Harry would have to clean it up. "Who was that, Dudley?"

"Just my stupid cousin..."

The door slammed behind them, and Harry waited until he heard Dudley shout at his mother for food before he breathed a sigh of relief. He quickly snuck over to the shed, joining the girl that was sitting behind it, who didn't seem to relax until she recognized him. "He-He's gone then?"

"Yeah, he went inside." Harry glanced over the girl. "Are you alright?"

Sniffling, the girl nodded. "Uh huh... Thank you, for helping me."

Shrugging, Harry sat next to her and started picking some of the leaves out of her hair. "Its no biggie." His cousin was a bully, plain and simple, even at the age of five and a half. Not even Holly had really been able to stand up to him...

"Is he really your cousin?"

Blinking at the question, Harry nodded. "Yeah."

"You don't look anything alike," said the girl bluntly before blushing, pausing in her effort to pull a small twig out of her hair. "Sorry, that was probably an awful thing to say."

"That's alright," said Harry with a small smile. "I don't look anything like my uncle or aunt either."

"What about your parents?" the girl asked with a faint look of curiosity. "Do you look a lot like them? Are you just staying with your aunt and uncle for the weekend of something? My parents do that with me and my brother sometimes."

"No," answered Harry with a shake of his head. "My parents aren't around anymore. They died when I was real little, and my Aunt doesn't have any pictures of 'em." She said that she didn't want any pictures of her pathetic sister and her drunk husband hanging on her wall.

"I'm sorry," said the girl, looking sympathetically at him. "That's awful. Do... Do you miss them?"

"Kinda," said Harry slowly. "I mean, I don't really 'member them. I was just a baby when they died. They were in a car accident with me and my sister." He lifted up his bangs, showing off the lightning bolt scar that neither his aunt or uncle liked to look at. "That's how I got this, or least that's how my aunt say's I got it."

"Wow," whispered the girl. "That's way cooler then my scar!" She pulled up one of the legs of her trousers and pointed below her knee, where there was white scar shaped like a bursting star resting there, no bigger then her thumb. "I got this when I was hiking with my dad, I fell on this sharp rock. It really hurt, but after my dad pulled it out and poured some water on, it healed super fast, till only this was left."

"Wicked," said Harry with a grin. He wished his cuts and bruises healed that fast. "But your cuts aren't healing now," he said, pointing out her small scratches.

"Yeah," the girl sighed. "It hasn't happened again." She examined his scar again. "It is a strange scar though. Does your sister have a scar like that?"

In one moment, Harry's face and heart fell. "No... She... She didn't."

"What's wrong?" asked the girl, her head tilting to the side. "Did something... Oh! I'm so sorry," she apologized. "I didn't mean to... I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked."

"Its alright," mumbled Harry.

"What was her name?"

"I'm not allowed to say. My relatives said so," Harry said before he could stop himself. He slapped his hands over his mouth. "I'm not suppose to say that! Please don't tell him I told you that."

"I-I won't," said the girl. "Promise. But... why can't you say your sisters name?"

Biting his lower lip, Harry quickly lied, "It just makes me really sad, is all." Tears started to burn his eyes at the thought of his sister.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to - Maybe I should go home -" said the girl as she stood.

"No! Its not your fault," said Harry as he grabbed her wrist, trying to stop the girl from leaving him. "Please, don't go. I..." The tears started to roll down his cheeks, and he quickly rubbed them and those unshed away with the sleeve of his sweater before she saw. "I don't want you to go. Please."

"... I guess that I could stay a little longer," the girl finally said, sitting back down on the ground. "But I have to go home soon, my mum will worry about me. She thinks I'm still at the play ground." It wasn't uncommon to let your children wander around in Privet Drive - it was a safe community that was gated in, letting no one that didn't live there in.

"Where do you live?" asked Harry. Now that he thought about it, he'd never seen this girl in the neighborhood. Maybe she was from the next block over?

"Just across the street," said the girl, pointing towards the road. "My family and I just moved in last week."

At that news, Harry paled. His aunt had warned him not to talk to the new neighbors, and unknowingly, he had already broken that rule. Did the girl think he was a freak, like his aunt and uncle said he was.

Not noticing the sudden lack of colour in his face, the girl went on. "Oh, I just realized, I never told you my name!" She held out her hand. "I'm Hermione, Hermione Granger. And you are..."

"Harry Potter," was the answer as Harry stared out the outstretched hand. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" asked Hermione as she lowered her hand.

"I'm not suppose to talk to you cause you'll think I'm freaky," mumbled Harry. "That's what my aunt and uncle say."

"Wha - You're not freaky!" squeaked Hermione, shaking her head so hard that a few more leaves fell out of her hair. "Your aunt and uncle are wrong! And its not right for them to call you such a mean name! My mommy would never call me that, not even my brother would call me that."

"Brother?"

"My little brother, Perry," said Hermione. "His real name's Peregrine, but we just call him Perry, cause my mom says it too big a name for such a little kid. He calls me names sometimes, but he never calls me freaky! You should tell someone -"

"No" Harry interrupted, shaking his head. "I mean, its alright. It doesn't hurt me anyway..." Not like the punches or kicks his uncle gave him when he was drunk, or the smacks that his aunt gave him when he didn't clean fast enough, or when Dudley shoved him into something. "Its fine, really."

"Well... Alright, if you're sure." Hermione glanced towards Number Four, Privet Drive. "So you live here with your relatives then, since you were little?" When he nodded, she flushed and looked towards her hands. "Is your cousin always so... mean?"

"Yeah. He's kinda spoiled, I guess," said Harry with a shrug. "But he's always been that way. Guess I'm just kinda use to it... So why was Dudley picking on you?"

"I was reading in the park, and he started throwing dirt balls at me," said Hermione with a sniffle, eyes watering up. "Said I should get my nose out of the book and stop being a bookworm." She suddenly gave a gasp. "Oh no! I left my book in the park!" Tears started rolling down her dirty cheeks. "My mum's gonna be so angry!"

Wincing at the idea of Hermione getting hurt by her mother, Harry said quickly, "We could go back and get it, if you want. I'll go with you, so Dudley doesn't try and hurt you again."

"Oh, would you?" said Hermione with wide eyes.

"Sure." Standing up, Harry held out a hand to help the girl up. He glanced inside the yard, looking for any sign of his cousin. When he was certain that the coast was clear, he quickly lead Hermione out of the backyard and back onto the street.

"It's really nice of you to help me," spoke Hermione as they walked down to the park. "Thank you so much."

"Its nothin'," mumbled Harry, a little embarrassed. Now that he thought about it, he'd never been around a girl his own age this much, minus Holly. He supposed he would have made friends in his new school, but Dudley scared away anyone that might be his friends. And he'd probably do the same to Hermione.

"Its not nothing!" said Hermione quickly. "You're probably the nicest boy I've ever met! All the kids at my old school didn't talk to me, Except to call me 'Beaver'." She glanced towards the sidewalk. "That's why I started reading, so I had an excuse to stay inside during recess. But then they picked on me for that too."

"What do you read?" asked Harry, curious.

"Oh, I like fairy tales," said Hermione, brightening up. "My dad got me a big book of them for my birthday. Though I don't understand why its always got to be a girl that has to be saved. There must be some boys need to be rescued too, right? What about you? Do you like to read?"

"Um... I can't read," admitted Harry. "At least not that good."

"Huh? But don't you go to the local school?" Hermione asked with astonishment.

Harry nodded. "Yeah, but I couldn't see real well before, 'cause I didn't have glasses." Plus, how could be practice when he wasn't allowed any books?

"Well, I could help you!" said Hermione. "I'm a really good reader! And you could come over to my house! My mum could make us cookies! When she's not busy, she makes great cookies!"

"I don't think I'm allowed to go over to anyone's house," Harry said sadly. "My aunt and uncle don't like me leaving home."

Frowning a little, Hermione said, "I'll come over, then, and bring cookies and books. We could read in the backyard, alright?"

"Maybe..." Even though he would really like that, Harry wasn't sure how his relatives would act if they learned he was spending time with a neighbor. Probably would mean a day or two in the cupboard, maybe even a week...

"Oh, there it is!" said Hermione happily as they reached the park. She raced forward, scooping up the book that was laying near the swings. She glanced over it, smiling. "It's alright, that's good. I was so worried." Suddenly, she turned towards him, wrapping her arms around his neck and giving him a hug. "Thank you, Harry."

"It's alright," mumbled Harry, cheeks turning a dark red.

"Hermione, where are you? Its time to come home!"

Letting Harry go, Hermione glanced around. "Oh! That's my mum! And Perry!" she said, pointing towards the woman that was walking their way. Mrs. Granger had the same dark brown eyes as her daughter, but had dark blonde hair that was pulled into a loose ponytail instead of light brown. Holding one of her hands was a boy just a year or two younger then the two of them, with wild dark blond hair and the same eyes, which lit up when he spotted his big sister.

"Mioney!" Perry sad happily, pulling away from his mother and racing to Hermione, almost knocking her over as he tackle hugged her. "Missed you, Mioney!"

"Hi, Perry!" said Hermione, giving him a hug. "I missed you too!"

The large grin on Perry's face started to slip a little as he noticed Harry. "Who's that?" he asked.

"This is Harry, Perry. He's my new friend," said Hermione, not noticing the surprise on Harry's face. She had called him her friend. No one had ever done that before. It felt... well, it felt kinda nice.

"Say hello," went on Hermione.

"'ello," Perry muttered shyly, hiding behind his big sister.

"Hello, Perry," said Harry with a small smile. "Nice to meet you."

"Sorry, he's a bit shy around new people," explained Hermione.

"Hermione Jean Granger, what happened to you?" asked Mrs. Granger as she finally reached them. "You're a mess!"

"I fell," lied Hermione without pause. "Harry was just helping me get my book."

"Mm? Oh, you made a friend," said her mother with a smile. "How lovely! It's nice to meet you, young man. My name is Jean Granger, Hermione's mother."

"Hello, my name's Harry Potter, Mrs. Granger," said Harry politely.

"Please, just call me Jean, Harry," said the older woman with a smile. "Or Miss Jean, if you have too. Every time someone says that, I want to look around for my husbands mother. I'm still not use to the new last name, I guess," she chuckled. "Even after eight years."

"He lives across the street from us, Mum," said Hermione, tugging at her light coat. "With the Dursley's."

"Is that so?" said Jean, frowning slightly. "I just had tea with Petunia Dursley, she didn't mention you at all. How are you related to them?"

"I'm her nephew, Mrs. Granger," Harry answered.

"Jean," corrected the older woman automatically, though the frown faded a little. "Would you like to come over for dinner, Harry? I'd love for Hermione to have a friend over. If your aunt doesn't mind, of course."

Almost immediately, Harry's stomach twisted into knots. He didn't have to see into the future to know what his aunt would say. No. Then she would yell at him for talking to the Grangers, maybe even smack him a few times.

"I could ask her for you if you'd like," suggested Jean when he didn't answer her right away.

"That's alright, Miss Jean," said Harry hesitantly. "But I don't think I can right now. Maybe another time though..."

"If you're sure, Harry," said Jean with a warm smile. "Just know, you are more then welcome to come over anytime." She glanced down at her children. "Come on, Hermione, Perry. Time to go - Daddy will be home soon."

"Bye, Harry!" said Hermione happily. "See you later!"

"Bye..." Waving goodbye as he watched the Grangers walking away, Harry waited until they were out of sight before he dropped his hand and sighed. He really liked Hermione, and Miss Jean seemed like a really nice lady. But he already knew that he shouldn't - couldn't see them again. His aunt and uncle would be sure of that if nothing else.

Rubbing at his burning eyes, Harry started shuffling home, wondering if anyone had even noticed him missing. And as he walked alone down the sidewalk, snow that hadn't fallen since Christmas gently surrounded him, almost like a cold embrace.

* * *

><p>"Hello, Harry!"<p>

Looking up from his 'chore' of clearing the sidewalk of the snow that had fallen last night, Harry gave the approaching girl a smile even as he resisted the urge to look towards the house and made sure none of his relatives noticed this. They were all out at church, which they went to only because 'It was the proper thing to do', or at least that's what his Uncle Vernon said. "Hey, Hermione."

"Isn't the snow beautiful?" asked the bushy haired girl, twirling. She was wearing a long dark brown coat and gloves, that were a bright pink that matched her cheeks. "I love snow! Though I don't think it still suppose to snow in March. Daddy's gonna make a snowman with us after lunch," she announced. "He's getting some groceries. My mum said you could join us."

"Um... no, that's okay," said Harry hesitantly. He still have to finish the sidewalk, and then he had to start cleaning inside, since he never knew when the Dursley's were bringing someone over for lunch. "I've gotta finish up."

"Aw, come on, Harry," begged Hermione. "Please."

"Sorry..." said Harry, throwing aside another shovel full of snow.

Hermione pouted a little, but it disappeared almost immediately when a car pulled into the Granger's driveway. "Daddy!" she said with a squeal. "Daddy, come over here and meet Harry!"

"Ah, this is the Harry that both the ladies of my house are going on about," said Mr. Granger with a chuckle. Now Harry could see where Hermione gained her hair - his light brown hair was a curly mess, though it was clear he tried to tame it, and he also had bright blue eyes that neither of his children gained. "Nice to meet you, Harry. You can just call me Hugo."

"Nice to meet you, sir," said Harry politely.

"Its a bit cold to be outside," said Hugo, glancing toward the driveway and sidewalk Harry had cleaned up on his own. "Why don't you come over for some lunch and get a cup of hot chocolate to warm you up?"

"Err..." Harry glanced towards the house. "I should really get this done before my relatives get home."

"Well, when you're done, come on over," said Hugo with a gentle pat on his shoulder that Harry tried not to wince at, not making his request a command but at the same time not giving him much of a choice without being disrespectful. "We'd love to have you."

"Yes, sir," Harry finally said.

"Good, then we'll see you soon," said Hugo with a grin. "Come on, Hermione, lets go help your mother with lunch."

"Alright! See you soon, Harry," said Hermione cheerfully.

After waving goodbye, Harry got back to work. Unbeknown to him, Hugo Granger was watching him as he worked, a frown working onto his usually cheerful face. Still, he kept his tongue, waiting till he got home to talk about with his wife.

About fifteen minutes later, Harry finished shoveling. Setting aside the shovel and wiping off the snow that covered his front, he glanced around. Well, his relatives weren't back yet. Maybe he could sneak over to the Grangers for just a little while... and least long enough for them to be happy about it. With a sigh that caused a white cloud to float in front of his face, Harry slowly made his way across the street.

The door to the Granger home opened before he even reached the end of the pathway. "Harry, come on in," said Jean with a bright smile. "You're just in time, we're about to start lunch. I hope you like pizza, I like to make it homemade. Here, dear, let me take your coat and gloves. You should have been wearing a scarf, its so cold out there!"

Shedding his heavier clothing, Harry couldn't help but sniffle a little and hope Jean blamed it on the cold. It was so strange having someone faun over him, like his mother would have done if she was still alive. It actually made him a little sad.

"Harry!" Without any warning, Hermione came running at him and gave him a hug that almost tackled him to the ground and irritated a few of his newer wounds. "You came!"

"Try not to strangle him, dear," said Jean chidingly as Hermione released him with a pout. "Now come on you two, its time for lunch."

Lead into a small dining room, Harry was greeted by Hugo again while his son hid shyly behind him. "Glad you come make it, son. Please, sit down and enjoy my wife's homemade cooking. We only get it once a week as it is," he said with a teasing jab Jean's way while he started filling up glasses.

"Oh you shush or no extra slice for you," retorted Jean as she exited the kitchen, a plate in each hand. "Harry, do you prefer pepperoni or just cheese?"

"Uh... pepperoni?" answered Harry hesitantly. He'd never been given a choice before of what he wanted. He almost jumped when a large slice was placed in front of him, the smell making his stomach grumble.

"And here's some soda - hope you don't mind root beer," said Hugo as he set down a glass in front of him.

"Thank you," Harry said to both of them. He didn't start eating till everyone else had though, still not completely sure this was happening.

But the meal went well. The adults chatted with each other and the children, and managed to get Harry to speak up everyone once in awhile too. He was having such a good time, that Harry forgot that he still had to go back to the Dursleys before they came home.

"BOY, WHERE ARE YOU?!"

Paling at the familar voice, Harry jumped out of his seat and ran towards the front door before any of the Grangers could stop him, ignoring what was left of his hot chocolate and leaving his coat and gloves being. He stepped outside to see his uncle standing in his front yard, his red face like a beacon among all the snow. Once he spotted Harry though, his face turned purple before he marched across the street.

"I'm sorry, Uncle Vernon," Harry said as his uncle got closer and closer. "I was going to be back soon, I swear -" He couldn't help but flinch when his uncle wrapped a large and heavy hand around his skinny arm.

"Didn't I tell you not to talk with the neighbors!" Vernon hissed, his grip getting tighter with each word he spoke until Harry was whimpering in pain and trying not to cry like he wanted to. "You disobeyed me, you freak!"

"What is going on out here?" asked Hugo as he stepped outside with a deep frown on his face, Harry's coat and gloves in hand.

When he noticed the younger man's presence, Vernon let go of Harry's arm and stood tall, as if he just hadn't been trying to break his arm. "You must be Hugo Granger," he said with a fake grin. "Vernon Dursley, my wife told me about you and your lovely family. I'm sorry about my nephew for bothering you, he was told to leave you alone -"

"Harry was _invited_ over," said Hugo tensely. "And he wasn't a bother at all. In fact, we would like for him to come over more often. If that's not a problem, of course."

"Ah, well, you see, my nephew has some..._ mental_ problems," stumbled out Vernon. "He's very disturbed, and I don't think its the best idea for him to be around your son and daughter -"

"Harry is in no way disturbed," said Hugo with a slight snap. "And if you continue to think he is, perhaps you should take him to see my father, he's a very well known child psychologist and I'm sure that he's be more then happy to evaluate him for free."

"Err... that won't be necessary," Vernon said hesitantly.

"Wonderful. Harry, thank you for coming, and we hope to see you soon," Hugo said with a smile that was a bit strained as he handed over the items in hand. "Have a good day, neighbor."

"Come on, boy," growled Vernon as Hugo went back into his house, still keeping an eye on them. "Get in the house, now."

Nodding and following his uncle back across the street, Harry gulped as he thought of what kind of punishment would be waiting for him once they were behind closed doors.


	16. Letters from Hogwarts

**Letters From Hogwarts**

* * *

><p><em>Time Skip - Almost Six Years Later<em>

* * *

><p>"Caw - caw!"<p>

Glancing up from her book from her spot under the large tree, the young girl smiled and lifted up her bare arm, giving the oncoming bird a place to land. The black bird beat its wings once, then twice to slow itself down before it neatly landed on it's given perch, squawking again and dropping the letter in its beak so it could nibble at the equally black strand of hair swinging near him when she lowered her arm back down.

"Careful, De," chided the girl as she gently pulled her hair out of the birds reach. "I'm too young to go bald. Mm? What do you have for me?" Curious, she closed her book and set it aside so she could reach towards the letter resting in the grass. She had barely touched it before her eyes went wide, snatching up and reading the writing on the front quickly as possible. Breaking out into a smile that went ear to ear, she scrambled to stand up, the raven on her arm taking flight for a moment before landing back down on her shoulder, riding her as she raced back up to the small cottage nearby.

"Dad, Dad! I got it!" Bursting into the kitchen and waving the letter like a flag, Abby squealed in happiness, causing the raven on her shoulder to squawk before fly off and onto the shoulder of the next person in the room. "I got my letter!"

"Of course you did," dryly answered Severus, not even looking up from the newspaper in hand. "You've been living at Hogwarts every year, September thru June. Did you really think you _wouldn't_ get one to learn magic there as well?"

"But I got it!" Clutching it to her chest and squealing again, Abby twirled on the spot, her shoulder length hair flying. "I'm going to Hogwarts - I'm gonna learn magic!"

Rolling his eyes, Severus gently petted the bird still on his shoulder even as he smirked. Now eleven years old, Abby had grown up at Hogwarts, knew it better then anyone - except perhaps Dumbledore, but now she was going to learn how to properly use her magic.

"Oh, I'd better go see if Draco and Neville got their letters yet!" suddenly exclaimed Abby, startling the raven yet again before she raced out of the kitchen, babbling about getting parchment and ink.

"Abigail Snape, what did I say about running in the house?" called out Severus, and after a pause, the quickly paced sound of feet hitting the wood floor slowed down to a somewhat calm pace. Shaking his head, Severus went back to his newspaper. A year after Abby had come into his life, he had officially adopted her as his daughter, much to her delight. And at Dumbledore repeated suggestions, they had even bought a lovely cottage on the outskirts of Hogsmeade, close enough to the school that they could spend summer holidays and some weekends there without having to go far.

Hearing more squeals from the living room, Severus could tell that one of her friends - or maybe even both - had gotten their letters from Hogwarts as well. Realizing that he wouldn't be able to read in peace anymore, he stood and shooed the raven away, deciding that maybe he could work on a potion -

'Knock knock.'

Groaning, Severus turned on his heel to go towards the backdoor instead. He nodded at his visitor as he opened the door fully. "Albus, what brings you here?"

"Good morning, Severus," said Albus as he swept inside, his bright orange robes clashing with the warm yellow walls. "I thought I might let you know I've just finished the paperwork for hiring our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor; you remember Quirinus Quirrell, don't you?"

"Our old Muggle Studies professor?" said Severus with a raised eyebrow. "I thought he took a sabbatical."

"Yes, well, he's back and offered to take the job - Merlin knows we've been having trouble finding someone to take it, what it all the mishaps," Albus sighed. "I was wondering if you could keep an eye on him, Severus; he had been acting... odd, and I worry something happened to him during his year off."

"Such as?"

Sighing again, Albus finally answered, "I think he's been doing something dark... something involving Voldemort."

Flinching ever so slight at the name of his old master, Severus nodded. "Very well, I will keep a close watch on him. Though I hope we are just being paranoid about this."

Another squeal from the living room drew their attention, and Albus smiled and chuckled. "I take it Abby got her letter?"

"How could you tell?"

Another thunder of footstep, and Abby raced back into the kitchen, her smile bright and wide. "Draco and Neville got their letters this morning!" she said happily, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "They're both going to Diagon Alley this weekend - can we go, please Daddy?_ Please_?"

"I don't believe I have a choice," said Severus with a slight groan.

"Yay - Oh, hi Grandpa Albus!" Abby greeted the older man by throwing her arms around him, acting like she hadn't seen him in weeks when it had only been a few days. "I missed you!"

"Hello Abby, I see you got your letter," Albus chuckled, Abby replying with a beaming smile.

"Staying for tea, Albus?"

"No, I best be getting back - Minerva was already upset with me abandoning my paperwork for only a few minutes." Albus gave Abby a lemon drop as she let go of him and shook Severus' hand. "See you Sunday?"

"As always," nodded Severus. It was a tradition that they spent every Sunday afternoon having tea with Albus and McGonagall, and they hadn't missed a Sunday yet.

"Bye!" Plopping into a nearby seat as Albus left, Abby held it out in front of her and stared at it. "...Dad?"

"Mm?" Severus poured them both a cup of tea, sliding Abby's just in front of her.

"We still get Sorted by the Hat, right?" she asked, sounding slightly distracted.

"Everyone since Hogwarts was first opened get Sorted by the Hat, Abby, you know that," said Severus with a raised eyebrow. "You've attending every Sorting since you were six... What's wrong?"

"...What if I get Sorted in Gryffindor?" asked Abby, running a finger over the seal that was on the top of the letter, an H intertwined by a lion, snake, badger, and raven. "Instead of Slytherin?"

"Ah." Severus understood now. Even though Abby had made friends in all of the Hogwarts Houses and it was something that he approved off, he _was_ the Head of Slytherin, and she didn't want him unhappy with her for being in the Lion House, which he admitted he still had a bias against. He rested a hand on her head, Abby glancing up at him at the touch. "I will be proud of you no matter what House you are placed in. Remember that, and don't worry about it so much."

Sighing, Abby nodding. "I'll try." Standing up on her toes, she pressed a quick kiss to Severus' cheek. "Thanks, Daddy."

A chime filled the room, letting them know that someone was attempting to Floo Call them, and Severus groaned, Abby giggling at his disappointment. Was he to get no peace today? "Go back to your reading, brat," he growled as he swept into the living room, where he was greeted by a floating green head that did not look happy.

"Lucius, what can I do for you?"

"Are we alone?" Lucius immediately asked, and Severus straightened up, frowning. Something was not right at all.

"A moment." With a flick of his wand, the door to the living room closed, and Severus settled down into a kneeling position, wincing at the old pains that started flaring. "What's wrong, Lucius?"

A pause. "I've been listening in on some rumors that are floating around the darker circles," Lucius finally said. "There are whispers that... someone, or perhaps a group, is trying to resurrect our old Master, Severus. Bring him back to power."

Severus tensed up, hoping it was a coincidence that the Dark Lord was brought up twice in his presence today. "Dumbledore mentioned that earlier as well," he told his friend. "Though he believes its a professor returning from sabbatical that might be the head of that endeavor - you remember Quirrell, don't you? His must have been there when you went to Hogwarts"

"That strange Ravenclaw?" Lucius' floating head bobbed. "Yes, he was a third year when I joined - I don't remember him being particular interested in the Death Eaters, or even the Dark Arts for that matter. He was horrid in the Defense class as well."

"He will be returning to Hogwarts as our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher for the year," said Severus blandly, and Lucius snickered.

"Turned down once again, huh Severus?"

"Shut it," growled Severus. He hated that particular rumor, that he was gunning for the DADA position every year and hated everyone who got the position instead of him. Yes, once long ago he applied, but he was perfectly content being the Potions Professor now. And who would be good enough to replace him?

"Why does Dumbledore suspect Quirrell?" asked Lucius when he quieted down.

"He took a year to travel, and he's apparently been acting odd ever since." Severus shrugged. "I haven't seen him myself to judge, nor did I see him a lot when he was our Muggle Studies Professor. He kept to himself."

"Well, it is always the quiet ones," said Lucius with his own shrug. "Still, we'll both keep our ears to the ground?"

"Of course. You've better let Narcissa know - you know how she gets when she finds out things from another source," teased Severus.

"Goodbye, Severus. See you Saturday, noon?"

"Saturday, then."

As they closed the connection, Abby slipped out of the nearby bathroom and snuck outside, a frown on her face as she headed back towards her tree. She had been listening in through the grate that connected the living room and the bathroom, straining to heard what her father was saying about their new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, about He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named. She was obviously too young to remember that dark wizard even if she hadn't lost her earlier memories, but she'd heard plenty. She even heard the whispers of how her father was once part of Death Eaters group. She didn't care about that, and was more worried about this fear that _he_ might come back. That _he_ might expect her father, and Draco's father, to come back to him...

Settling back into her spot and opening her book to a random spot, Abby looked out to the forest, where beyond that she knew was the village, and beyond that Hogwarts; she looked towards her home. Maybe she should keep her own ear to the ground...

* * *

><p>"Harry James Potter, what do you think you're doing?"<p>

Wincing, Harry pushed his glasses up his nose as he glanced at his best friend, stomping though brush into his spot close to the edge of the woods. "Uh... nothing?" he answered while trying to subtly trying to hide the creature wrapped around his wrist, which really was stupid to try and do, but he did it anyway.

Hands on her hips, Hermione glared down at him, her busy hair creating a strange halo around her head. "I thought we both agreed it was dangerous to _that_ in public again, Harry. Anyone can see you!"

"I was careful," mumbled Harry, his shoulders slumping. "I'm off the running trail."

Sighing, Hermione pinched the bridge of her nose, as if she had a headache coming that she was trying to hold back. "Just let it go, please. Mom's expecting us home for dinner soon."

"Alright..." Lifting his arm up so his wrist was held in front of his face, Harry hissed apologetically, "_Sorry, I've got to go. Maybe another time_."

"_As you wish, Silvertongue_," hissed back the grass snake, its forked tongue tasting the air before it unwound itself from his wrist and slipped down to the ground, bolting off into the grass and disappearing in a matter of seconds.

"Really, Harry, it can't be that interesting to talk with snakes," said Hermione with a shake of her head while Harry stood up, brushing dirt off his rump.

"Only when I can get them to stop talking about how cold it is or mice," Harry shot back, and grinned when Hermione shuddered, as she always did when she thought of snakes swallowing mice and other small animals whole. "Really, its not a big deal," he remarked as they marched up the small hill and back to the running trail, which lead through the woods near the park.

"I know it isn't, you know I don't care. But others..." As they stepped back onto the running trail, Hermione glanced around before finally saying, "But others might think its kind of... not normal."

Harry knew what she meant. That particular gift was something that might get unwanted attention. It was something that they had discovered a few years ago, when they were walking off the running trail and came upon an adder, ready to strike at them with its poison filled fangs. Harry, only seven years old, yelled at it to stop and leave them alone. And it listened. It stopped and apologized to the "Silvertongue", it was simply protecting its nest and would leave them alone if they went down another way. And then it slunk off, leaving Harry and Hermione stunned, jaws dropped. And then they swore not to tell anyone about, just like all their other "episodes".

They finally broke through the woods and stepped back out onto the park grass, chatting with each other in low tones as they made their way back to Privet Drive. Ever since the Grangers moved across the street and took Harry under their wing, he had spent every day with them; only going back home to sleep in his cupboard under the stairs. He didn't even mind that anymore, just as long as he managed to spend his days with his real family.

"Hey freak."

Harry froze on the spot as they got ready to turn into the Granger year, the sight of Dudley waddling down his own yard a sight in itself. He had gained an enormous amount of weight since they were small, and was like a small whale and a miniature version of his father. If _she_ were here, she would have glared at him, or maybe even laughed...

If she was here...

"Hello Dudley," said Hermione, polite and stiff.

Ignoring Hermione, Dudley held out a tight fist, something yellowish brown peaking through his fat fingers. "You've got mail," he grumbled, opening his hand and letting it flutter to the ground; Harry barely able to catch it before a strong breeze tried to make off with it. "I figure I'd better give it to you - Dad doesn't want to get in trouble with_ them_." He gaze slid over to Hermione's for a moment, and she glared at him until he turned and waddled away, leaving Harry to stare and pale at the crumpled letter in hand.

_Mr. H. Potter_  
><em>The Cupboard under the Stairs<em>  
><em>4 Privet Drive<em>  
><em>Little Whinging<em>  
><em>Surrey<em>

It was just one of those facts of his life - Harry never got mail. He had no other relatives besides the the Dursley's that would write to him - he didn't even get those bitter letters from the library asking him to return his books (because getting a card required a guardians signature). And it was such an unusual letter, an heavy yellowish parchment with the address written in emerald green ink.

"Harry, who's is -" Hermione started to question.

"I don't know." Turning it over, Harry glanced over the seal: an H surrounded by a lion, raven, badger, and snake. "Maybe we should talk to your parents about it before I open it."

"Good idea," Hermione said with a nod.

"I can have them sometimes."

Smacking Harry in the arm and giving him a playful glare, Hermione lead her friend into the Granger house, calling out for her mother as they closed the door behind them. "Mom?"

"Oh, there you are, sweetie," said Jean Granger as she came out of the living room, a smile unusually wide plastered onto her face. "Come over her please, there's someone here to see you."

Their interest peaked even more now, Harry and Hermione followed Jean into the living room to see a very unusual looking stranger; an older women in dark green robes that covered everything from the neck down, save for the hands that were holding a cup of tea. Black hair with a few silver streaks was pulled back into a severe bun, showing off the sharp green eyes that peered through the square glasses that were resting on the bridge of her nose. A large, pointed hat that matched her robes sat with her at her place on the couch. Hugo Granger was sitting across from her with his own cup of tea, looking a little shell shocked, which was strange as well. Rarely anything shocked the man.

Jean made introductions. "Madam, this is my daughter, Hermione, and this is our neighbor, Harry, who we consider a member of the family." Harry blushed at that. "Kids, this is Professor McGonagall, a teacher at an... interesting school that she hopes for you to attend, dear."

"Delighted to meet you, Hermione," said McGonagall as she sat down her cup and rose. Her gaze moved over to Harry. "And what a coincidence, Mr. Potter, I was hoping to speak to you as well."

"Speak to me... and you know me?" Harry said with a blink of surprise.

"Of course. I knew you when you were just a babe, and your parents as well."

Cautiously, Harry stepped forward, hope slowly spreading in his chest like a slow spring. "Did you know Holly, too?" he asked the stranger, speaking his sisters name in company for the first time in years, her usually only spoken in a whisper and in the dark when he wished for her to come back.

Frowning as she concentrated, McGonagall's eyes brightened momentarily in remembrance, and she opened her mouth to speak. But suddenly the light faded away, leaving her eyes to dim back to their natural color as she shook her head. "I'm sorry, who?"

"Harry, who's Holly?" asked Jean gently as she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, while Hermione and her father looked on in curiosity.

"Nobody," Harry mumbled, appointment crashing down on him as suddenly and heavy as an avalanche. "Forget I said anything."

Obviously not believing him, Jean still nodded and wrapped an arm around the boy she considered a son, pulling him in close. "We'll talk later, alright?" she said quietly. And even though he wasn't planning on talking about it at all, Harry gave her a nod in confirmation. "Please, continue you, Professor," Jean said with a smile, gently pushing the conversation away from Harry.

"Yes... Why don't we all sit down first," suggested McGonagall. Once everyone did so - Harry and Hermione now sitting on the couch while McGonagall took another chair and Jean sitting on the arm of her husbands chair - she cleared her throat. "Have you ever noticed anything stranger happen around you, things you couldn't quite explain, Miss Granger?"

In union the two friends glanced at each other, and they knew what the other was thinking - every weird thing that ever happen around them, including an incident with Harry's teacher, Hermione somehow gaining enough speed to leave three girl bullies in the dust, and many more things. Hermione finally answered with a, "Maybe?"

Smiling, McGonagall said, "Those incidents were caused by magic, which in your case has yet to be controlled and is a bit wild. You, Miss Granger, are a Muggleborn witch, and of course know that you, Mr. Potter, are a wizard."

Almost complete silence filled the room, save for Hugo grumbling into his tea, "Wouldn't believe it... bloody tea set... tap dance..."

"Magic? Well, I guess that would explain it," finally spoke up Hermione with a nervous giggle. "All those accidents... I'm... I'm a witch!" Squealing, she clutched Harry's arm and bounced up and down. "Oh, Harry, you're a wizard! You have magic too!"

"Yeah." Harry stared ahead, stunned even as Hermione continued to clutch to his arm and still bounce. It explained a lot actually. At least he knew he wasn't crazy now - that time with Dudley's sweater and his hair and the jumping onto the roof had been because of magic. Simply as that.

"Wait, why I'm a Muggleborn?" asked Hermione when she finally calmed down. "And why isn't Harry one?"

"A Muggleborn is a witch or wizard born to parents that are both Muggle - people without magic," McGonagall explained. "Both Mr. Potter's parents had magic, though his mother was a Muggleborn like yourself, Miss Granger."

"My parents had magic?"

"Yes - you didn't know that?" McGonagall was frowning now, which deepened when Harry shook his head. "Harry, did you know you were a wizard? Didn't you guardians tell you anything?"

"They don't tell me anything. Plus, I hardly see them anymore," Harry answered after a moment, casting his gaze downward.

"Didn't tell you... Well! I'll have to have a talk with them," said McGonagall, bristling like a cat. "But, that means I shall have to explain _everything_ to you." She sighed. "As I said, you are a wizard, Mr. Potter, and both your mother and father had magic as well. In fact, I taught them myself.

"Those times were terrible, Mr. Potter. A dark wizard, He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named, was gaining power and followers. He hoped to take over the wizarding world, and eventually the Muggle world as well. So when your parents graduated, they married and joined a group that was fighting against that wizard. They had you a couple years later, and I can say personally that they couldn't be happier. They had to go into hiding not long after that, they didn't want you hurt. But You-Know-Who found them somehow, and on Halloween night, when you were only a year old..." McGonagall paused. "He killed them, Harry. They fought so bravely..."

Harry's mind was whirling. His parents didn't die in a car accident like he had believed for all these years. They had been killed at the hands of some sort of take-over-the-world psycho, who Harry was now imagine with a large curly mustache and a wicked evil laugh. "But, if killed them," he finally asked slowly, "Why didn't he kill me?"

"That part is a little bit harder to explain," McGonagall answered. "From what we can tell, he did _try_. But it didn't work. Somehow, you managed to make the darkest wizard in a century vanish. In actuality, you're a hero to the wizarding world, so famous that everyone knows your name - Harry Potter, The-Boy-Who-Lived."

"What?!" All of the Grangers present looked at Harry in shock, who flushed pink. "You're famous?" said Hermione with astonishment.

"Its not that big a deal," mumbled Harry. "I mean, I don't even remember any of this."

"Its a big deal, Harry," Hugo said, finally talking. "But it doesn't change anything, at least to us. You're still our Harry; just Harry."

As Harry smiled up at his adoptive family, who made the last six years with the Dursleys bearable, McGonagall went on. "I don't mean to interrupt, but since I have other potential students to talk to, I'd like to finish this up by say you are both invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry - the best place around for you to learn how to control your magic. Harry, your name has been down since birth, so I have no need to ask your _guardians_," she said this part tensely, "for permission. And now I see that you have your letter." She reached into a pocket of robes and held out another letter. "Mr. and Mrs. Granger, would you like your daughter to attend?"

"Oh, Mum, Dad, please say yes," pleaded Hermione. "I really want to go - think of what I could learn!"

"Oh course we'll let you go, dear," said Jean, leaning over to hug her with one arm. "We couldn't leave Harry there all by himself, could we?" she added with a wink.

"Excellent." McGonagall handed the letter over to Hermione, who stared at in wonder. "Why don't I give you some paperwork to fill out..."

"Harry, this isn't a dream, is it?" Hermione turned to her best friend, eyes wide. "We're really going to learn magic?"

"Yeah, I think we are." Harry stared down at their letters. "Should we open them?"

Hermione nodded in agreement, and the two ripped into their letters, pulling out two sheets of paper. Harry scanned the first page, which simply confirmed what McGonagall had told him, before turning to the next one. "Wow, look at all this stuff we have to get!" Harry felt his heart drop. "The Dursleys aren't going to spend a single penny on any of this stuff for me."

"Don't worry about that, Mr. Potter," said McGonagall, reaching into her robes again and pulling out this time a small key. "You parents left a good amount for school expenses. You can get whatever you'll need when you go to Diagon Alley for your supplies." She handed Harry the key and turned back to the Grangers. "Ah yes, let me give you these directions..."

A few hours later, Harry was sitting in his cupboard, using the little light he had to read his letter and examining the key that McGonagall had given him. He couldn't be happier - he was going to Hogwarts with Hermione, and later this week the Grangers would be taking him to Diagon Alley to shop for their school supplies, including a wand. As Harry smiled, he suddenly released in a few hours time, it would be his birthday, and his smile grew. This was the best birthday present ever. Not only would he be learning about magic, it was his chance to get away from the Dursleys.

As if hearing his thought, a roar came from inside Dursley house, making the teen jump at least a few inches off his old mattress. Harry paled at he recognized his uncle's voice. "HE GOT WHAT?"

In the few long second that followed, Harry hid the key under his spare clothes just before the door to his cupboard was flung open. A large hand reached inside and dragged Harry out, Uncle Vernon obviously not caring that he banged his Harry's shoulder into the door frame when he pulled him into the hall. A purple in the face, Uncle Vernon thrust his hand out at his rarely seen nephew. "Hand it over!"

"What?"

"Hand over that damn letter Dudley gave you," hissed Vernon, his mustache twitching. "Now."

"No," said Harry, clutching the letter tightly. "Its my letter." He noticed that Aunt Petunia was watching from the kitchen door frame, Dudley not around, probably upstairs playing video games. She wouldn't help him, she would only watch.

Beady eyes narrowed. "Now you listen hear, boy, hand over that letter, now. Or you can forget your little visits to those people," Vernon warned, glancing towards the door and the Granger home. But Harry'd had enough.

"No," Harry said again, louder this time. "Its MY letter!"

Snarling, Vernon reached down to try and rip the letter away from him, but Harry dodged his grasp, trying to keep him away out of range. With both hands swinging, Vernon tried again. All he manged to do was smack his nephew in the side of the head, a ringing noise echoing in his ears.

"YOU DIDN'T TELL ME ANYTHING!" Harry shouted at his uncle, still holding onto the letter as he continued to back away. "I'm not a freak, I'm a wizard!" As Vernon stared at him in shock, his nephew went on. "And my parents didn't die in a bloody car crash! They were killed!"

"How-" Vernon was sputtering, his face turning such a dark red Harry was surprised he didn't just explode into a thousand little pieces. "You little brat! How did you -"

"And they deserved it." Petunia was sneering at Harry, who was a little stunned. He hadn't really thought about his aunt knowing about his parents, and now his, world. "You parents got what they deserved - that's what they got for using that foul magic. But they couldn't just die - no, they had to leave us with you!"

"I never wanted to be here!" Harry shouted back. "And you took away Holly from me!"

A hand grabbed him by the back of his shirt. "I told you never to speak of her again," Uncle Vernon snarled, and he shoved Harry against the wall, grabbing the letter out of his hand.

"Give it back - its my letter!" Harry struggled to rip the letter out his uncles fat, grubby hands, but couldn't do anything as Vernon glanced over it with a sneer.

"You think they would really want a freak like you. Ha. You. Are not. Going," said Vernon simply, he ripped the letter farther into to shreds with each word. "And that's the end of it, do you hear me?"

Before Harry could comprehend that his letter was gone and in pieces on the floor, suddenly, an owl appeared through the living room front windows, which were left open in an attempt to cool the house down. Aunt Petunia screamed, Uncle Vernon shouted in shock, and Harry just stared as the bird - he'd never seen a real owl in all his life - dropped a letter at Petunia, which managed to catch it mostly out of reflex. Then with a hoot, it flew out again.

Petunia stared at the red letter in hand, but only for a moment before she shrieked again and dropped it as it started to smoke and hover in front of her, as if it were on strings. "He will go, Petunia!" said a booming voice from the letter, and that was all.

Paling to a startling white before it even hit the floor, Petunia finally said to Vernon, "He's going."

"What?"

"He's going Vernon, and that's it!" Petunia shrieked, and with a nasty glare at Harry, stomped back into the kitchen. Vernon, properly mystified, gave him another glare before following, and soon started going at it with his wife, or at least as far as Harry could tell. So slowly standing up with a wince, he went back to his cupboard, confused by at the same time happy. He was still going to Hogwarts, just now with his aunt's strange approval.

* * *

><p><em>SORRY for the long wait - and I could give a thousand different reason why I haven't been updating or writing lately, but I won't. Instead, I hope you enjoy this chapter, and hopefully I'll have the next one ready for next months update soon. Thank you so much for waiting.<em>


	17. Apologies, a Poll, and News

Hello my lovely readers -

First off, let me say I am _SO, SO SORRY_ that I haven't updated in forever and a day. I hate giving excuses, but I have been bombarded by work, family issues (again), moving, helping out in my community theatre, trying to reach my yearly goal of reading one hundred and fifty books, and writing my own original story.

That along with trying to have a (albeit small) social life and my own down time, its getting very hard to try and think of plot-lines for four stories at once and then try to write it all out and update them, even just once a month.

SO! Here is my solution. I will work on only one story, and focus solely on that until its completed, and then do the same for my other three stories. The problem is choosing which story to work on, since I love all them equally. That's were you, my lovely readers, come in.

I will have a poll on my authors page, and if you could take a moment of your time, please vote for your favorite story. You have from now, April 15th, until the end of the month to pick one. Then I will announce the winner in both the poll and in each of my stories, and get to work on updating as soon as possible.

Good luck, and the odds be ever in your favor - for your story, that is.

Love Hanna

**Updated May 3, 2014:**

Sorry that this is a few days later then I intended.** But**, the poll finally has ended, and the story I will continue to work on till its completion is...

(drum roll please?)

_Liberi De Luna_!

Its not much of a surprise, but still, I'm glad that so many people voted for it and the other three rest of the stories will be put on hold till I'm finished with _Liberi De Luna_. The newest chapter is up now.


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